Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a Dubai-returnee, Nnamani Monday Innocent for attempting to smuggle drugs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesman, on Sunday Nnamani attempted to send a consignment of skunk and tramadol 225mg to the UAE before his arrest at Trade Fair complex in Ojo area of Lagos, where he had gone in company of his friend Nwanana Emmanuel Ikechukwu with the cargo to a freight company to process the consignment for export on Tuesday 7th February, 2023.
In the same vein, Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport same day intercepted a cargo going to London, United Kingdom.
“In the consignment containing food items packed in a carton, the four walls of the carton were used to conceal 1.10 kilograms of methamphetamine while the freight agent, Agholor Emmanuel, who presented the cargo for export was immediately arrested,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, 7th of February intercepted a consignment of 1,340 kilograms of cannabis sativa coming from Ogbese, Ondo state in a liquified natural gas truck to Okurikang Okoyong in Odukpani LGA, Cross River State.
“Following credible intelligence, the movement was monitored for three weeks and upon arrival, 130 bags of cannabis weighing 1.430 tons were recovered from the LNG truck and 13 motorcycles which were hired by the cartel to convey the consignment deep into the forest.
“In Kano, four suspects: Ado Shuaibu; Yahaya Shuaibu; Mamman Sani and Umar Musa Yakubu were arrested in connection with the seizure of 229 blocks of skunk weighing 131.1kgs. While Umar was arrested on Tuesday 7th Feb at Tumfafi village, Kano, the trio of Ado, Yahaya and Mamman were nabbed on Saturday 11th Feb at Garin Balarabe, Maigatari, Jigawa state in a follow up operation. Another suspect, Aisha Muhammad was arrested in Koki area of Kano with 17kgs cannabis.
“No fewer than four members of a syndicate using dispatch motorcycles to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki area of Lagos were arrested on Sunday 5th Feb. They include: Tijani Oladapo Hakeem; Eric Maku; Ahmed Jubril Olamide and Adobi Fortune Chris. At the time of their arrest, 1.88kgs of Loud and assorted paraphernalia were recovered from them,” he said.
Babafemi added that while 79.1kgs skunk were seized during a raid in Patey area of Lagos Island on Tuesday, 7th of February by NDLEA operatives, a total of 2,370.06 kilograms of cannabis and two boats seized at a jetty in Lagos by men of Civil Defence Corps were handed over to the Lagos command of the Agency.
In his reaction to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers, men and women of the MMIA, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos commands for their commitment and professionalism towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs.
He said the Agency will continue to target anyone or group involved in the criminal trade without fear or favour while urging all NDLEA officers across the country to remain unrelenting in the pursuit of the corporate goal.
