NDLEA intercepts 4 tons of illicit drugs

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Nigeria has reported the interception of four tons of illicit and controlled drugs in seven different states within a span of one week. These seized drugs include nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas), skunk (a potent strain of cannabis), codeine syrup, methamphetamine, and tramadol.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, revealed this information in a statement released in Abuja. The seizures were the result of interdiction operations conducted in Lagos, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jigawa, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Edo states.

One significant interception occurred when 1,194 cylinders of laughing gas, weighing a total of 2,547.2 kilograms, were discovered in Toyota Sienna buses along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway on September 22. Two suspects, Onyebuchi Ikpozu and Kenneth Igwe, who were transporting the contraband to Abuja for distribution, were arrested.

Another operation led to the apprehension of a 48-year-old woman named Mrs. Ugo Eluba in Abuja. She was arrested in connection with the interception of 2,400 ampules of pentazocine injection and 100,000 tablets of Exol-5 in Kogi, which were traced back to her.

Other seizures included 977 kilograms of skunk in the FCT, which were destined for distribution in Sokoto and Gwagwalada. Two suspects, Auwal Mohammed and Abdullahi Abubakar, were arrested in connection with this seizure.

Additionally, two suspects, Mutari Abdulazeez and Ayuba Madaki, were apprehended in Zuba, FCT, on September 23 with varying quantities of methamphetamine, cannabis, and 13,930 pills of tramadol.

In Jigawa, two suspects, Shuaibu Yusif and Abubakar Hussaini, were arrested on September 23 with 89.1 kilograms of skunk during a stop and search operation along the Kano-Hadejia road.

In Kaduna State, a suspect named Usman Sidi was found in possession of 6,000 ampules of pentazocine injection on his way to Bauchi State. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Dominic Chukwuma, and the recovery of additional drugs.

Furthermore, cannabis sativa weighing 26 kilograms was concealed in a commercial vehicle traveling from Ogere in Ogun to Kano. The seizure led to the arrest of two other suspects, Inuwa Nuhu and Isiyaku Dahiru Sani.

In Sokoto, one Charles Okeke was arrested with 473 bottles of codeine syrup at Unguwar Kosai.

Lastly, in Edo State, 365 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 258 kilograms were recovered from a Toyota Camry car in Igarra, Akoko Edo LGA.

The NDLEA also conducted a massive operation in Ekiti State, where they destroyed 40 tons of cannabis plants covering 16 hectares of farmland in a thick forest in Ijesha Isu-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area.