Crime
NDLEA intercepts 2.3million tabs of opioids going to 7 Northern states
NDLEA intercepts 2.3million tabs of opioids going to 7 Northern states
By Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in a series of interdiction operations in the past week. have intercepted over 2.3 million tablets of illicit pharmaceutical opioids and other psychoactive substances meant for distribution in seven Northern states of Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe and Nasarawa.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi gave the exact figure of interceptions at 2,325,553 tablets and capsules of tramadol, Hypnos, diazepam and Exol-5 including 7,353 bottles of a new psychoactive substance locally called Akuskura, said the drugs were seized at locations across Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and the FCT.
He said in Kaduna, a drug dealer Umar Sanusi, was arrested on Friday 12th August during a follow-up operation in Kano and brought back to Kaduna where his consignment of 50 cartons of pregabalin 300mg, containing 750,000 capsules, weighing 375 kilogrammes earlier seized along Abuja-Kaduna expressway was counted and weighed in his presence.
He disclosed that same day, operatives also intercepted along Abuja-Kaduna express road 7,068 bottles of a new dangerous substance of abuse called Akuskura meant for Kaduna, Zamfara, Gombe, Kano and Borno, adding that the recipients in Kaduna and Zamfara have been arrested during follow up operations. The following day, Saturday 13th August, 285 bottles of the NPS were recovered from a dealer, Abubakar Ahmad, along the same highway.
According to him, in Kogi State, no fewer than 696,000 tablets of tramadol and Exol-5 among others loaded into a truck at Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Maiduguri, Borno state, were seized along the Okene-Abuja expressway last Friday 19th, while NDLEA operatives also recovered 300,000 tablets of diazepam from a suspect, Faruku Bello, 30, in Sokoto State last Wednesday.
Babafemi said anti-narcotic officers of the agency in Abuja, FCT equally at the weekend intercepted a bus loaded with 323,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg and others at Onitsha, Anambra state heading to Nasarawa state, noting that the driver of the vehicle, Osita Nwobodo, 45, who made fruitless bids to compromise the operatives is now in custody.
He also said a major importer of a Loud variant of cannabis from the United States, Abibu Sola and a 63-year-old grandfather who ships illicit substances to his daughter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among those arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Abibu was arrested in connection with a 19.30 kilogrammes Colorado consignment from Los Angeles, USA, which was intercepted on 30th June at the NAHCO cargo import shed of the Lagos airport. While Abibu was still being interrogated in custody, a 37.1 kilogrammes consignment of Loud intercepted on 7th July was also traced to him.
Meanwhile, a freight agent, Miss Njoko Elizabeth, 37, has been arrested for attempting to export 250 grammes of tramadol and cannabis to Dubai through the NAHCO export shed. The drug exhibits were concealed inside some gallons of palm oil and honey, which were packed among food items and hair attachments.
Also at the Lagos airport, 249,600 tablets of tramadol 225mg have been recovered from a shipment from India at the SAHCO import shed of the MMIA.
Babafemi said the consignment that arrived from India via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on 4th August was eventually evacuated last Wednesday as an abandoned seizure.
He also said the 63-year-old grandfather behind an intercepted drug exhibit going to Dubai, Afolabi Kolawole on 4th August has been arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state last Thursday after more than four sets of arrests eventually unravelled him.
He said Kolawole confessed that he was responsible for the concealment and packaging of the cannabis inside the black native soap used as a mode of concealment and also admitted this was his second attempt at sending such illicit substance to his daughter, Barakat, in Dubai.
An Italy-bound passenger, Oziegbe Andrew, 55, was last Friday arrested with 600 grammes of tramadol 200mg while attempting to board Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy, via Casablanca, also seven cartons of khat leaf with a total weight of 295 kilogrammes have been seized at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport. The consignment came into Nigeria from Tanzania through Cairo on Egypt Air.
Babafemi said operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI, in NDLEA attached to courier firms have intercepted 11.36 kilogrammes of heroin and cannabis packaged for UAE, Netherlands and Omar, they were concealed in a dictionary, fancy light and body cream.
In Niger state, 139 bags and 176 compressed blocks of cannabis loaded in Ogere, Ogun state and heading to Zaria, Kaduna state were seized by NDLEA operatives along Abuja-Kaduna road, Suleja from a company vehicle while the driver, Sani Mohammed, 44, and his assistant, Abubakar Abubakar, 30, were arrested.
The NDLEA Spokesman said raids carried out in Akala, Mushin area of Lagos also led to the arrest of Pelumi Goodness and Ola Funke while over 1,171.75 kilogrammes of cannabis and 29 litres of codeine syrup were recovered.
Reacting to the series of arrests and interceptions, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and FCT Commands as well as DOGI for their efforts, while however urging them and their compatriots across the country to intensify their efforts at reducing the drug supply and drug demand in the country.
75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest
By: Michael Mike
A 75-year-old grandpa Uchelue Ikechukwu was among six suspects arrested with illicit substances in raids by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in parts of Anambra state just as 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was taken into custody following the destruction of 178,750 kilogrammes of skunk on his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said while Uchelue was nabbed at Umudioka, Dunukofia local government area of Anambra with 26.7 kilogrammes skunk last Thursday, Eneh Makuo; Emmanuel Chiemeli; Uwakwe Matthew; Chukwujekwu Ehirim; Ifeanyichukwu Olisa and Odoh Chukwuma, were arrested with various quantities of opioids and skunk at Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state.
Babafemi said in his case, Andrew was arrested with a Dane gun last Tuesday when NDLEA operatives supported by personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and Vigilante, stormed his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm located at Mayodoga forest, Mayosabere ward in Sardauna local government area, Taraba State, where they destroyed 178,750 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
He said no fewer than 104,900 capsules of tramadol concealed in the driver compartment of a fuel tanker, suspected to be an illicit consignment going to insurgents in parts of Borno state, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate in Kaduna last Friday while a suspect Hassan Buba was immediately taken into custody.
He added that another suspect Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was nabbed with 34.150 kilogrammes skunk by NDLEA officers at Gwargwaje – Zaria check point on Saturday.
Babafemi said following intelligence and surveillance, NDLEA operatives in an interdiction operation on Saturday arrested a major supplier of illicit opioids in Borno state, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh shortly after he received his supplies from Onitsha, Anambra state and recovered from his apartment at Chescon, Pompomari area of Maiduguri include 30,640 pills of tramadol 225mg; 7,940 tablets of rohypnol and a cash of N7,999,200.00 only in N200 new notes.
In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives last Thursday arrested a suspect Abubakar Dauda, 36, with 79,040 pills of tramadol and diazepam at Abacha park, Mararaba Karu. This followed the arrest of Babangida Tungura, 47, in Lafia, with 30,410 pills of tramadol and Rohypnol as well as 38 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in a deep freezer from Asaba, Delta state last Tuesday.
A 23-year-old suspect Mohammed Ali was last Wednesday arrested in a follow up operation at Ngorore, Adamawa State following the interception of his way billed consignment of 15,000 capsules of tramadol concealed in sacks of animal feed at the Gombe mega park.
In Kano, the duo of Ashiru Garba, 20, and Aminu Abdu, 22, were arrested last Tuesday along Kano-Hadeja road, with 1.5 kilogrammes skunk and 25,000 pills of exol-5 while two other suspects: Ali Muhammad, 37, and Muhammad Maishanu, 42, were nabbed by NDLEA officers last Thursday along Zaria-Kano road, Gadan Tamburawa, with 8,080 bottles of a New Psychoactive Substance and 25.7 kilogrammes skunk in their possession.
No fewer than 250,000 tablets of exol-5 were seized from a suspect Alhasaan Musa, 25, in Zango area, Ungogo local government area, Kano state by NDLEA operatives on Saturday.
A suspect Hamisu Abdullahi was last Monday arrested in a follow up operation in Yola, Adamawa state after NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mararraba Lamurde intercepted a golf saloon car marked GME 253 HP driven by Sani Suleiman and coming from Gombe state loaded with sacks of pepper, used to conceal 79 blocks of skunk weighing 58 kilogrammes belonging to Hamisu.
In Edo state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Ewu-Auchi road, Etsako West local government area intercepted 64,250 pills of opioids mainly tramadol in a commercial bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and going to Okene, Kogi state, while a suspect Mohammed Halidu, 36, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
Two suspects: Elves Odogwu, 45, and David Jeremiah, 35, were arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided Queen Elizabeth, Aponmun Reserved Camp, Ondo in Ondo state where 117.5 kilogrammes processed cannabis and seeds were recovered from them. A total of 164 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from the base of a suspect Michael Ayodele in Mushin area of Lagos where he was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Saturday.
In what appears to be the single largest seizure of Loud and Colorado, two strong strains of cannabis, in Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence last Friday raided Nova street, behind New Creation School, Ado-Ekiti where 5.3 kilogrammes of Loud and Colorado as well as 2.5 grammes of Methamphetamine were seized from a 42-year-old drug kingpin Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu (a.k.a Atiku).
Across the country, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
75-year-old Grandpa Arrested as NDLEA Destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba Forest
Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed men have killed one person and abducted two women in Kwanar Dangora community, Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State.
Zagazola Makama report that the attack occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Friday when the hoodlums, in large numbers and armed with dangerous weapons, invaded the residence of one Alhaji Ibrahim at Kwanar Dangora.
According to sources, the assailants abducted the two wives of the victim, identified as Safara’u Ibrahim and Attine Ibrahim.
“In the process, one Abdul Usman, 27, of the same address, was shot dead by the attackers.
“Scene of the incident was visited, the corpse was released to his relatives for burial.
“Investigation has commenced and efforts are being intensified to rescue the victims unhurt, trace and arrest the culprits,”said sources.
Gunmen kill one, abduct two women in Kano
Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer
By: Zagazola Makama
The police in Lagos have commenced investigation into the alleged rape of a 20-year-old female student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, by a lecturer in the institution.
Sources said the survivor, identified as Owonifari Fiyinfoluwa, a 300-level student of the university, reported the matter to the police on Aug. 28.
“She alleged that on Aug. 22, at about 12 noon, her lecturer, Dr. Samuel Ojogbo, invited her into his office at the university and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.
“A team of detectives visited the scene and the survivor was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment,” said the sources
The sources added that investigation into the case was ongoing.
Police investigate alleged rape of UNILAG student by lecturer
Actively Implementing the Global Governance Initiative, Jointly Building a China-Africa and China-Nigeria Community with a Shared Future
VP Kashim Shettima: The Strengths of Experience at 59.
Nigeria Sets for Cyber, Digital Diplomacy, Creates Cyber Unit at Foreign Ministry
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
News5 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
