In a sweeping crackdown on drug trafficking, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two octogenarians and intercepted opioids worth over N3.2 billion in coordinated operations across the country.
In a sweeping crackdown on drug trafficking, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two octogenarians and intercepted opioids worth over N3.2 billion in coordinated operations across the country.
The arrests and seizures occurred at various locations, including Apapa seaport in Lagos, Port Harcourt port in Rivers State, and several states across Nigeria.
The most shocking arrests involved Ayuba Ashiru, an 80-year-old ex-convict, and 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday. Ayuba, who previously served a 10-year jail term for drug-related offences, was arrested on May 14th in Sabon Gari, Kaduna State, where NDLEA officers discovered 2.3 kilograms of skunk packaged in retail sizes. Ashiru admitted to engaging in the drug trade for over 46 years.
In Abia State, NDLEA operatives raided the home of Mrs. Sunday and her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, on May 17th. They recovered quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol, and skunk, as well as cash totalling N130,600. Mrs. Sunday confessed that she and her daughter took over the drug business after the death of her son two years ago.
At the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Rivers State, NDLEA officers intercepted three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol valued at N2.1 billion on May 14th. Meanwhile, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth N1.1 billion were uncovered in a shipment declared as car parts from India.
Further raids in Kwara State led to the arrest of Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail with 199,200 pills of tramadol in Ilorin. Additionally, Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef, a Higher National Diploma (HND) student of Kwara State Polytechnic, was apprehended with 650 grams of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, which he allegedly sold to other students.
In a separate operation at a courier company in Lagos on May 16th, 250 grams of cocaine concealed in female headgear bound for Australia were intercepted. In Niger State, a Toyota Carina vehicle carrying 143 kilograms of skunk was stopped along Mokwa-Jebba road, leading to the arrest of Idris Kamal, 35.
Also, a 60-year-old suspect, Welman Kengbo, was caught with 594.8 kilograms of skunk in Karu, Nasarawa State, while Oyenuga Toheeb was arrested along Lekki/Epe expressway with 67.5 kilograms of the same substance.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna highway intercepted a 29-year-old man, Ismail Isah, carrying an AK-47 rifle and two magazines concealed in a sack of maize. He was immediately handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, commended the officers and operatives involved in the recent operations, urging them to continue their efforts in the fight against drug trafficking. “The synergy between our supply reduction and demand reduction efforts is yielding significant results,” he stated. “We will not relent in our mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs and their devastating consequences.”
The NDLEA continues to intensify its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, engaging students, schools, and communities nationwide in drug prevention education and awareness programs.
By Chimezie Godfrey @NewsDiary
