Felix Temitope, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has conducted a series of nationwide raids, successfully dismantling major cocaine syndicates and seizing multi-billion naira worth of drugs.
In a statement signed by NDLEA's Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed the recovery of large cocaine consignments concealed in various items, including heavy-duty automobile parts and Ghanaian fabric, known as Kente.
On Monday, August 5, 2024, NDLEA officers intercepted 2.32 kilograms of cocaine hidden in Kente materials destined for the United Kingdom at a courier firm in Lagos. Additionally, 10.494 kilograms of cocaine concealed in heavy-duty pivot shafts bound for the United States were recovered at the same logistics company. This brings the total cocaine seized in these shipments to 12.814 kilograms.
Further operations on Friday, August 9, 2024, led to the interception of five more consignments at the courier firm in Lagos. These included 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials, pentazocine and promethazine injections, cocodamol pills heading to the UK, and 297 pills of tramadol 225mg destined for Canada. NDLEA operatives also recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain weighing 10 kilograms, from a different logistics company in Lagos, which were meant for delivery in Abuja.
In another significant operation on Wednesday, August 7, NDLEA arrested Obiora Joseph Agudosi, a member of a cocaine trafficking network, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos. He was attempting to transport 9.00 kilograms of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra state.
On Thursday, August 8, NDLEA apprehended two members of another cocaine syndicate in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state. The arrests followed the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state. The bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, was arrested at Benin tollgate with 2.865 kilograms of cocaine. Izuchkwu Arinze was detained in Nnewi while collecting 1.748 kilograms of cocaine and 514 grams of sodium bicarbonate. Ameachi Okoro was arrested in Oba town attempting to pick up 1.117 kilograms of cocaine.
At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, weighing 265.25 kilograms, in a black Toyota Sienna bus from Montreal, Canada, during a joint examination with Customs and other stakeholders on Wednesday, August 7. The next day, 75 parcels of Loud, weighing 37.5 kilograms, were seized from another container marked FSCU-9274613, also from Canada.
In Adamawa state, on Thursday, August 8, NDLEA operatives, supported by Operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa, arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 291.200 kilograms, in his Toyota Camry. He claimed he was transporting the consignment from Edo state to Yola, Adamawa state.
Other significant operations included the arrest of two suspects, Adekunle Sunday Adebayo and Yahaya Mamuda, in Kano with 29.5 kilograms of cannabis, and the recovery of 1,169 kilograms of cannabis from a bus in Lagos on Sunday, August 4.
Furthermore, NDLEA officers destroyed 1,230.00 kilograms of cannabis on three hectares of farmland in Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Kogi state, on Friday, August 9. The farm owner, Danjuma Maji, was arrested.
The NDLEA's War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities continued across the country, targeting schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities. These efforts included lectures and advocacy visits in Oyo, Anambra, Kwara, and Ekiti states.
Commending the NDLEA officers for their successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) urged them to maintain their balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction efforts.