… Raids Edo, Cross River forests
…Destroys over 17,000kg of skunk, recovers large consignments in Lagos, Delta, and Kaduna
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 12 large parcels of cocaine concealed in the false bottom of food flasks heading to the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic Airline flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The cocaine consignment with a gross weight of 2.80 kilograms was intercepted on Thur,sday 9th April 2,026 by NDLEA operatives attached to the export shed of the Lagos airport, while two cargo agents involved in the export, Bid: Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39, were swiftly arrested. Further investigation revealed a 52-year-old freight and forwarding agent, ent Agoro Tajudeen Moninu, ola as the sender of the consignment,ment and he was arrested in a follow-up operation.
In a similar operation, NDLEA officers at the import shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday, 8th April, intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a gross weight of 2.90 kilograms and concealed in snack food packs, which arrived from the United States of America aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
Two cargo clearing agents, Ts: Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji road, Ogba, Lagos, on Mon, 13th April.
In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway by Gwargwaje Zaria on Mon, 13th April, intercepted a trailer conveying cement heading to Hadeja in Jigawa state. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms. The truck driver, ver Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 53-year-old female suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh, was arrested on Thurs,y 16th April, 2021, when NDLEA officials, supported by soldiers, raided a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state, where 15,000 kilograms of skunk on six hectares of farmland were destroyed and 119kg of the same substance recovered.
Another cannabis farm was raided on Tues, day 14th April at Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state where NDLEA operatives destroyed 2,281.43kg of same psychoactive substance, while three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45, were arrested, with the duo of Christopher and Monday caught with 38.5kg cannabis and its seeds. Two suspects: Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were nabbed with 87.838kg of skunk and seeds at the Powerline area of Okwo, Delta st, on Friday, 17th April.
In Lagos, two suspects: Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienv,enu were arrested on Wednesday,15th April at Mile 2, Lagos/Badagry expressway while conveying 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection in a truck to Gha. The same day, NDLEA operatives raided a two-storey building at Petti, Lagos Island, where a total of 95.8 kg of skunk was recovered.
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WAD sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communit, and communities, among others, in the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Alfurgan Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state;
Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Heritage Model School, Ankpa, Kogi; Government Day Junior and Senior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina; Government Senior Secondary School, Rano, Kano, and De Ambassador Secondary School, Epe, Lagos state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WAsensitisationion activit,ies while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.
