.Uncovers AK-47 rifle, seizes 5,350 pills of tramadol in Taraba
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted opioids worth over N3.2 billion in separate operations at Apapa and Port Harcourt ports.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that at the Port Harcourt Port complex in Onne, Rivers, a total of 3,000,000 pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg were intercepted.
He said that the illicit drugs worth N2.1 billion in street value were intercepted in one of the containers watch-listed by the agency based on intelligence.
The spokesman also said that the seizure was made on Wednesday, May 14, during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, personnel of Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), and other security agencies.
“In like manner, NDLEA operatives at the Apapa Port on Tuesday, May 13, intercepted another watch-listed container declared to have new car parts and accessories from India.
“During a joint examination with other security agencies, a total of 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value were discovered concealed in the shipment.
“This brings to the total of drugs intercepted in both states as N3.2billion respectively,” he said.
Meanwhile, Babafemi said that NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Friday, May 16, intercepted 250 grams of cocaine at a courier company in Lagos.
He said that the drugs which were concealed in female headgear were going to Australia.
Reacting, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retired) commended the officers and men of DOGI, PHIPC, and Apapa, commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. (NAN,
Also, The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a 29-year-old Ismail Isah with an AK-47 rifle and two magazines concealed in a sack of maize.
A statement by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy on Sunday in Abuja stated that NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway made the arrest on Friday, May 16.
Babafemi said that the suspect would be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
Meanwhile, in Taraba, 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from a suspect, Shafiu Ismail, 22.
Babafemi said that he was arrested on Thursday, May 15, at Sabon-layin, Jalingo LGA, adding that Tijjani Mohammed, 35, was also nabbed with 198kg skunk at Malamawa in Jigawa, same day.
Similarly, in Niger, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba Road on Thursday, May 15, intercepted a Toyota Carina car with registration number AGL 945 BK.
Babafemi said that the vehicle was conveying 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143 kg while a suspect, Idris Kamal, 35, was detained.
“The same day, operatives on patrol at Chachi junction along Kaduna Road arrested Emmanuel Hassan, 26, with 14.3kg Loud.
“A swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Bello Aliyu (alias Liti), 39,” he said.
Also, Babafemi said that a 60-year-old suspect, Welman Kengbo, was nabbed by NDLEA officers with 594.8kg skunk at Karu area of Nasarawa State on Friday, May 16.
Babafemi said that another suspect Oyenuga Toheeb was arrested along Lekki/Epe Expressway in Lagos State on Thursday, May 15, with 67.5kg of the same psychoactive substance.
Meanwhile, the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of Supreme International School, Fagge, Kano; Al-Arifeen International Academy, Kaduna; and Nadado Primary School, Bakori, Katsina.
Others are Ila Orangun Grammar School, Ila Orangun, Osun; and students and staff of Government Secondary School, Onne, Rivers among others. (NAN)
