Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have launched fresh raids in Nasarawa, Benue and Ondo states where no fewer than 43 dealers and consumers of illicit substances were arrested and 137.55 kilograms of assorted drugs recovered during the ‘offensive action’
In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives backed by a detachment of soldiers from 177 battalions of the Nigerian Army, Keffi, raided notorious drug joints located in Kara Masaka, Ruwa Ruwa Uke, Abattoir at the border with FCT, Filing Bala, Masaka U- Turn and others for two consecutive days; 5th and 6th August 2021. During the raids, at least 41 suspects were arrested and assorted drugs such as cocaine, cannabis sativa, cough syrup with codeine, rohypnol and tramadol with a total weight of 65.250kg were recovered from them.
Cannabis plants planted by the drug dealers in the adjoining bushes were destroyed while all the stalls in the drug markets were dismantled and set ablaze.
In the same vein, operatives of the Ondo state command of the Agency in the early hours of Monday, 9th August, 2021 raided Odopetu area of Akure in Akure South local government area of the state capital, where a 44-year-old Mrs. Folake Ademola was arrested while her husband escaped arrest.
Recovered from their home include: 65.400kg of cannabis sativa; skunk – 500grams; loud- 16grams; Colorado- 34grams, bringing the total of drugs seized from them to 65.950 kilograms.
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In Benue state, a 34-year-old Iornum Emmanuel was arrested at the NDLEA Aliade checkpoint on Sunday 8th August, 2021 with different quantities of assorted illicit drugs, which include; tramadol -500grams; diazepam- 1.5kg and exol 5- 7.9kg.
Trafficking in illicit drugs has continued to remain a lucrative business in Nigeria. Despite efforts by the NDLEA in arresting and jailing offenders, the numbers continue to rise.
So far in 2021, the NDLEA has recorded a number of high profile arrests and confiscations of drugs and other substances.
Between January and February now fewer than 126 persons were sentenced to prison for their involvement.
A shipping container was seized at Apapa seaport in Lagos on February 24th containing a large cache of the banned drug, tramadol. 90 people were arrested after investigations.
On May 14th 2021, the NDLEA arrested a drug lord named Ejiofor Felix Enweareaku. The suspect was arrested for allegedly importing 27.95 kg of cocaine. The cocaine - seized at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos - was valued at about N8 billion and it was .
And just four days later, 4.9 million tramadol capsules were intercepted at the Onne port in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
On April 25th, N10 billion worth of drugs were confiscated at the Murtala Muhammad Airport. The suspected dealer - Chibuike Apolos - was arrested with over 100kg of cocaine, cannabis. Again in April, two traffickers were arrested with N264million worth of cocaine in Abuja.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has commended the commanders, officers and men of the Nasarawa, Ondo and Benue state commands for their commitment to the goal of ridding the country of the menace of drug abuse and trafficking. He charged them and their colleagues in other commands to continue on the offensive until the last drug cartel in Nigeria is dismantled.
