NDLEA dismantles bandit drug network, seizes tonnes of narcotics nationwide
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has scored significant breakthroughs in its nationwide fight against illicit drugs, arresting a notorious supplier to bandits in Niger and Zamfara states and intercepting large consignments of cannabis, opioids, and other controlled substances across Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said 33-year-old Mohammed Sani, known as Gamboli, was arrested three weeks after narrowly escaping a previous raid on his residence in Anguwan Makera, Kuta, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.
NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence had raided Gamboli’s house on November 20, recovering 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis. Gamboli escaped at the time and went into hiding.
“Intelligence reports revealed that Gamboli was a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits terrorising Shiroro Local Government Area,” Babafemi said.
He was eventually arrested on December 11 at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta.
In another operation, NDLEA intercepted 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline, and bromazepam concealed in containers of black soap and designer clothing.
The consignments, bound for the United States, Canada, and Sweden, were seized at two courier companies in Lagos between December 9 and 10.
At the Apapa seaport, Lagos, NDLEA officers, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, intercepted 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579 kilograms on December 13.
In Abia State, operatives uncovered a clandestine codeine syrup factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, Osisioma Local Government Area, recovering 9,015 bottles weighing 1,152.2 kilograms.
In Enugu State, Ossai Emeka, 45, was arrested along the Onitsha–Enugu Ezike Road with 7.2 kilograms of skunk, while Enoje Agada, 40, was apprehended along the Enugu Ezike–Ette Road with 94.6 kilograms of the same substance.
Other seizures included:
Oyo State: 3.4 kg of skunk, 1.6 kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis), and 400 g of methamphetamine at a joint known as Beere the California; Ajibade Faruk arrested, owner escaped.
Ibadan, Oyo: Olusanya Abosede, 35, arrested with 238.4 kg of skunk.
Badagry, Lagos: Bashiru Babalola, 43, and Ugunwale Ranti, 50, arrested with 50,000 tramadol pills.
Ogun State: Akinwale Makanjuola and Joseph Owolabi arrested with 73 kg of skunk; Wasiu Lateef nabbed with 25 kg.
Ondo State: Veronica Obi, 55, and her son Bright Obi, 29, arrested with 1,187 kg of skunk and cannabis seeds.
Edo State: Ohiomah Igbafe, 44, arrested with 461 kg of skunk and seeds.
Gombe State: Muhammed Sani, alias Sha-Mu-Sha, 50, arrested with 40,000 tramadol capsules; Muhammad Abdullahi, 52, and Muhammed Hamza, 32, arrested with 56 kg of skunk.
Meanwhile, NDLEA commands nationwide intensified War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation campaigns in schools, workplaces, worship centres, and communities, including Katsina, Kano, Benue, and Enugu states.
Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), commended the officers involved, urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control nationwide.
