NDLEA seizes over 14 tons of Ghanaian cannabis in Lagos

By Sodiq Adelakun

In a significant drug bust, agents from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seized two trucks and a J5 bus loaded with approximately 14,524.8 kilograms of a potent cannabis strain known as Ghanaian Loud, which had been illicitly transported into Lagos from Ghana.

The operation took place in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos during the early morning hours of Sunday, January 28, 2024.

The NDLEA operatives had been monitoring the vehicles and successfully intercepted them, although two drivers managed to flee by jumping from their moving vehicles.

The third driver, 66-year-old Nasiru Ojomu, remained and was apprehended. Ojomu is reportedly associated with the elusive drug lord Suleiman Jimoh, also known as Akala, who operates out of Mushin and is infamously referred to as Olowo Idi Ogede or Temo.

The interception of these vehicles marks a substantial setback for drug trafficking operations in the region.

In the last three years, NDLEA operatives have seized several shipments of the same psychoactive substance worth billions of naira linked to Temo.

The wanted drug lord has since gone into hiding while the Agency continues a manhunt for him.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives on routine patrol around a warehouse sealed at Church street, Idumota, Lagos by the Agency over an ongoing investigation on Thursday 1st February arrested three suspects: Joseph Joshua; Muhammed Adamu and Balarabe Musa who burgled the store and loaded 546,700 pills of tramadol and other opioids into a waiting yellow bus marked BDG 447 XD and an unregistered Suzuki minibus.

Meanwhile, a male deaf and dumb suspect dealing in illicit substances has been arrested at Samaru area of Zaria, Kaduna state. At the time of his arrest, 150 grams of cannabis were recovered from him while selling the psychoactive substance. Another suspect, Ibrahim Sani, 56, was also arrested in possession of 51 kilograms of the same substance at Tirkaniya area of the state.

Operatives in Abuja on Wednesday 31st January arrested Emmanuel Paul with 43.5kg cannabis concealed in used shoes loaded in a trailer coming from Ogbese, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.  

In Katsina state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Dutsinma-Katsina road on Friday 2nd February apprehended a suspect, Murtala Isah, 35, with a total of 37,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids recovered from him.

In Kogi State, operatives on Wednesday 31st January destroyed 833.32 kilograms of cannabis sativa on a two acre of farmland at Iluke community, Kabba- Bunu LGA while the owner, Samuel Atonila, 49, was equally arrested.

On the same day, operatives in Nasarawa also arrested three suspects: Muhammed Musa, Bilyaminu Musa and Sadiya Ya’u with same psychoactive substance weighing 24.4kg at Uke, Karu local government area of the state, while no less than 258 kilograms of same substance were recovered from a bush store around Ikare bypass, Owo, Ondo state.

In the same vein, NDLEA Commands across the 36 states and the FCT continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation lectures in schools, communities, work places and others in the past week.

Several events have taken place recently as part of the drug sensitisation efforts by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

These events include lectures conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for students and staff of Gombe State College of Education and Legal Studies in Nafada. Similar lectures were also held for parents, students, and teachers of Kemta Comprehensive High School in Olugbo, Odeda LGA, Ogun state, as well as for students of Government Day Science Technical School in Babura, Jigawa state, and Government Science School in Mokwa, Niger state.

Other schools that received these lectures include Ansarudeen Secondary School in Iludun, Osun state, St David’s Anglican Basic School in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, and Government Girls Arabic Secondary School in Anguwar Danya, Wudil LGA, Kano state.

Additionally, traders at Ogbo-Olu timber market in Anambra state and commercial motorcyclists in Oko Afo, Olorunda LCDA, Badagry, Lagos state were also sensitised.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the recent arrests and seizures made by officers and men of the Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Kogi, and FCT Commands.

He urged them and their colleagues in all NDLEA formations to remain vigilant and intensify their efforts in reducing both drug supply and drug demand.