M/East-bound passenger, pregnant woman, female undergraduate in NDLEA net for drug trafficking, dealing
Nigerian Middle East-bound passenger, a pregnant woman, a female undergraduate, and others are among a list of suspected arrested by the anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in the past week.
A statement released by the agency and signed by its Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Sunday, said consignments of tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy (designer drug) and cannabis sativa concealed in winter jackets and bottles of body cream were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja in Lagos, last Friday, April 14.
The psychoactive substances were recovered at the new terminal of the Lagos airport following the arrest of a passenger, identifies as Joshia Sunday, who was traveling on a Qatar Airline flight via Doha to Oman, in the Middle East.
“A thorough search of the suspects two black bags led to the discovery of 4.80 kilograms of cannabis concealed in three winter jackets and various quantities of Tramadol, Rohypnol, Ecstasy (Designer drug) hidden in bottles of body lotion. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect came into Nigeria from Oman on April 7, and was returning exactly a week after,” NDLEA said.
According to the agency, its operatives also arrested a Lekki, Lagos-based businessman, Cyril Chidiebere, same Friday, April 14 along with two of his freight agents; Mejabi Peter Sunday and Oyeyinka Babatunde over their involvement in the importation of 12 parcels of ‘Loud,’ a strain of cannabis, weighing 6.50kg, which was part of a consolidated cargo brought in from the United States of America.
“The arrest and seizure followed a three-day intelligence led operation. Following the arrival of the cargo at the NAHCO import shed of the MMIA, its movement out of the airport was closely monitored in a sting operation until the actual importer, Cyril Chidiebere, was arrested in his house at Abraham Adesanya estate, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos. Both Mejabi and Chidiebere have made useful statements to confirm that the latter has been involved in dealing on illicit drugs in the past,” Babafemi said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA also disclosed that its operatives arrested a pregnant woman, Rabetu Abdulrasak, 24, and a cripple, Shehu Adams in Agbede, Etsako West LGA, Edo state while over 14 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including cannabis, methamphetamine, tramadol and swinol were recovered from them on Saturday, April 15.
“A 22-year-old HND 1 female student of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state, Isoyo Iveren Susan was on Saturday 15th April arrested opposite 2nd Gate of the institution for dealing in illicit drugs. Recovered from her include 1,100ML of codeine-based cough syrup and 283grams of cannabis. This is just as operatives in Lagos arrested two suspects: Nonso Peter, 21, and Bright Chibuike, 23, with 43.4kg cannabis at Ile-Epo, Abule Egba area of the state on Friday 14th April.,” the agency disclosed.
In other operations carried out by the anti-narcotics agency, NDLEA said its operatives in Katsina state, seized no less than 1,730 bottles of codeine-based syrup from a suspect, Bishir Saadu in Katsina metropolis on Sunday 9th April, just as Muhamadu Yusuf was equally arrested same day with 8,000 capsules of tramadol inside a commercial bus along Kano – Katsina road.
“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna on Thursday 13th April raided a clandestine laboratory where mist potassium citrate was being produced in a residential apartment at 16 Sabon Gari, Zaria. The owner of the lab, Christopher Agodi was arrested and 102 cartons containing 2,448 bottles of the substance recovered. While a suspect, Salisu Abdullahi, 25, was arrested along Abuja-Kaduna road with 11.7kg cannabis concealed in two jerrycans, which he was moving from Port Harcourt to Kano, operatives.
“Also on Saturday 15th April nabbed one Atiku Abubakar, 22, on the same road with 50 blocks of cannabis weighing 28kg while travelling from Lagos to Shinkafi in Zamfara state in a commercial bus.
“Similarly, anti-narcotic officers acting on a tip-off, arrested two suspects: Aminu Saudi, 45 and Abdullahi Sani, 35, at Ogbese, Ondo state, with 11 jumbo bags containing 211kg of cannabis concealed in rice chaffs.
“This was closely followed by the destruction of six hectares of cannabis farm in Uso forest in the state on Thursday 13th April,” the report read.
