A prominent drug trafficker, who had been sought after for his involvement in attempts to smuggle illegal drugs to the United Kingdom, was the most significant among the arrests made by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during a series of operations resulting in the confiscation of four tons of illicit substances in the previous week.
Obiorah Chigozie Samuel had been a wanted fugitive since September 15, 2023, when authorities intercepted a shipment of 1.5 kilograms of high-potency cannabis (skunk) hidden within flour that was bound for London, UK. This seizure occurred at the SAHCO export facility at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. Additionally, his accomplice, Nworah Adaugo Precious, was apprehended.
Ironically, Obiorah was captured on Thursday, September 28, when he personally attempted to transport another 2 kilograms of skunk, concealed within cartons, to the UK via the same airport. During questioning, Obiorah admitted that he had been involved in the illicit drug trade after previously being engaged in the sale of shoes in Lagos.
Furthermore, in various locations throughout Nigeria, NDLEA operatives achieved significant successes. In the Federal Capital Territory, on Friday, September 29, authorities intercepted a container truck carrying 1,188 kilograms of skunk concealed under toothpaste cartons. The driver, Amafan Fattison, aged 28, was taken into custody. In Bayelsa, on Wednesday, September 27, 432 kilograms of skunk were discovered inside an abandoned J5 bus along Saipem Road in Opolo, Yenagoa. The vehicle was also impounded for further investigation.
In Kano, a 70-year-old man named Ado Mai Unguwa was arrested on Saturday, September 30, with 143.2 kilograms of skunk in Dindere village, Tofa Local Government Area. On the same day, NDLEA operatives in Enugu recovered 110.6 kilograms of the same substance from a locked shop at Aria new market.
In Lagos, on Saturday, September 30, NDLEA officers raided the notorious Idi-Oro drug hub in Mushin, seizing 212.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa linked to a wanted drug lord. Additionally, NDLEA officers in Kwara state confiscated 104 kilograms of skunk from a Toyota Camry in the Offa area of the state. Furthermore, a 25-year-old Chadian, Mohammed Ibrahim, was apprehended at Mafa checkpoint in Borno state on Monday, September 25, with 11.8 kilograms of the same substance.
In Plateau, the state police command cooperated with NDLEA by transferring four suspects and 1,978 kilograms of cannabis that had been confiscated from them to the state command of NDLEA. In Cross River, NDLEA operatives seized 40,000 ampules of pentazocine injection from two suspects, Fajulugbe Adeshola Temitayo (aged 35) and Nnaorji Agwe Solomon (aged 54), at Mobil by MCC Road in Calabar.
Additionally, in Kogi state, NDLEA officers arrested a 25-year-old suspect named Ifeanyi Odoh on Wednesday, September 27, with 59,867 pills of opioids, including Tramadol, and 4.03 kilograms of cannabis sativa in the Idah area.
The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy initiatives continued across the nation during the past week. Activities included an advocacy visit to Prof. Lateef Babatunde Ayeleru, the Director/CEO of Nigeria French Village in Badagry, Lagos, by the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA, as well as WADA awareness lectures at institutions such as Ar-Rahmania College of Health Sciences in Minna, Niger state, Pentecostal Academy in Aba, Abia state, and a sensitization lecture for students and staff of the School of Nursing in Eket, Akwa Ibom state.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and personnel of various NDLEA commands, including MMIA, Lagos, FCT, Bayelsa, Borno, Kogi, Kwara, Cross River, Borno, and Enugu, for their outstanding work in both reducing drug supply and addressing drug demand reduction efforts.
Post A Comment: