Connect with us

Crime

NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports

Published

on

NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs
going to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Cyprus at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and some courier companies.

Among the drugs intercepted include cocaine, methamphetamine and its precursor chemical, ephedrine.

A press statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi also disclosed that at least three traders at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo area of Lagos State: Nwudele Basil; Chiedu Ezenwani and Donatus Nwojiji have been arrested in connection with attempts to export 52.1 kilogrammes of ephedrine, a precursor chemical and active ingredient for the production of methamphetamine, concealed in bunches of fishing threads and packed among other items in jumbo sacks that were intercepted at the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport on Sunday 31st January and Monday 1st February.

He said it took the painstaking efforts of NDLEA officers and deployment of sniffer dogs to be able to discover the complex mode of concealment of the illicit substance.

Babafemi also said at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, vigilant operatives of the agency last Monday intercepted a 29-year-old Apeh Kelvin while attempting to board Turkish airline flight TK0624 going through Istanbul to Cyprus, with 4.5 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in false bottoms of his travelling bag, with the suspect claiming he ran a boutique business in Enugu before he decided to travel to Cyprus for a degree in Business Administration.

The NDLEA Spokesman also said at three different courier firms in Lagos, operatives intercepted two cocaine consignments weighing 400 grammes each, going to United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. They were hidden in walls of cartons used for packaging. Two other consignments containing 500 grammes and 100 grammes of methamphetamine were also blocked from being shipped to New Zealand after they were discovered concealed in food items.

No fewer than 2,684,900 pills of tramadol and other pharmaceutical opioids were seized by operatives during interdiction operations in some states in the past week. In Adamawa, a total of 250,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 as well as 1800ml of codeine neatly concealed in the reserve fuel tank of a trailer from Onitsha, Anambra state were seized at Mubi and a dealer, Hussaini Ibrahim (a.k.a Bafu) arrested.

He also disclosed that a total of 279,000 pills of tramadol 200mg and 225mg were recovered from a suspect, Hammajan Suleman, along Okene-Abuja highway in Kogi, last Monday, 376 blocks of skunk weighing 229.36 kilogrammes and a Toyota Camry car used in conveying the consignment from Edo state enroute Kano by another suspect, Moses Alabi were handed over to NDLEA by a patrol team of the Nigerian Army, in Lokoja last Tuesday.

In the same vein, two suspects: Christian Nnachor, 23 and Chinonso Obiora, 20, arrested with 1,843,900 tablets of Diazepam and 300,000 pills of Exol-5 by soldiers along Abuja-Kaduna express road were transferred to the Kaduna State Command of NDLEA last Monday while Christopher Maduka, 43, was arrested with 10,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection by NDLEA operatives last Saturday along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

In Kano, Ahmed Suraj was nabbed with 89 bottles of codeine syrup in Badawa area of the state, while Amadu Musa and three others were arrested in Kofar Mata with 53 blocks of cannabis weighing 41.9 kilogrammes. In Niger state, a trans-border trafficker, Abdullahi Isah was arrested along Jebba-Mokwa highway with 188 blocks of skunk that weighed 107 kilogrammes, which he was attempting to take to Niger republic.

Babafemi also said 24 kilogrammes of Arizona variant of cannabis and 2,000 pills of opioids were recovered from Ibrahim Isiyaku along Nguru-Kano road in Yobe, with no fewer than four suspects: Usman Abubakar, a Chadian; Muhammad Ali; Ibrahim Yahaya and Babagana Abdullahi were arrested in connection with the seizure of 61.45 kilogrammes of cannabis and 22.1 kilogrammes of exol-5 in Jigawa with follow up operations in Kano. The consignments were ordered by Usman with a view to taking them to Chad.

Meanwhile, in his reaction to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers, men and women of the MMIA, NAIA, DOGI, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Niger, and Yobe commands for their commitment and vigilance.

He however urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with the current working synergy with other security forces towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs.

NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound 58kg cocaine, meth at Lagos, Abuja airports

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Crime

Police officer killed by stray bullet during patrol in Adamawa

Published

on

Police officer killed by stray bullet during patrol in Adamawa

A Police Sources at the Adamawa State Police Command has confirmed the death of a police inspector who was killed by a stray bullet during a patrol operation along Song–Gombi Road in Song Local Government Area of the state.

The sources disclosed that the incident occurred at about 11:00 a.m. on May 25 during a routine patrol and stop-and-search operation conducted by operatives attached to the Safer Highway Patrol team.

According to him, the officers intercepted a tricycle passenger carrying a Dane gun and dressed in plain clothes. Upon questioning, the individual failed to provide a satisfactory explanation of his identity or authority to carry the weapon.

This led to an altercation, during which members of the Hunters and Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) reportedly mobilized to the scene and began firing shots into the air.

Tragically, Inspector Musa Kampani, was struck by a stray pellet during the chaos.

The Divisional Police Officer in Song promptly led a team to the scene. The injured officer was rushed to Cottage Hospital, Song, where he was confirmed dead on arrival. His remains have been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

The Hunters/Civilian JTF Commander, Adamu Zubairu, has been arrested in connection with the incident, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing suspects.

The State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has commenced a full investigation into the matter.

Police officer killed by stray bullet during patrol in Adamawa

Continue Reading

Crime

Police repel attack, destroy bandits’ hideouts in Benue

Published

on

Police repel attack, destroy bandits’ hideouts in Benue

By; Zagazola Makama

The Benue State Police Command says its Tactical Teams have repelled a suspected bandit attack on Yelwata Settlement in the early hours of Sunday, destroying multiple hideouts in the process.

Police sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 12:22 a.m., prompting a swift response by security operatives who traced the attackers’ footmarks to a stream known as Ushongo.

According to the sources, the armed assailants, who had set up camp near the stream, opened fire on the advancing tactical team. However, the operatives held their ground and pushed forward, forcing the hoodlums to flee across the river into an unknown location.

During a subsequent operation, the security team combed the forest area using smoke canisters and successfully destroyed seven hideouts believed to have been used by the fleeing bandits.

The sources said the affected areas remain under close surveillance, with further operations ongoing to track down the suspects.

Police repel attack, destroy bandits’ hideouts in Benue

Continue Reading

Crime

Police recover 40 suspected rustled cows in Plateau

Published

on

Police recover 40 suspected rustled cows in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Plateau State Police Command has recovered 40 cows suspected to have been rustled following a report by the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Bashar district.

Zagazola Makama was informed by security sources that the report, received on Sunday at about 12:30 p.m., indicated that the cows were sighted in Gaji Bashar village.

It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bashar promptly mobilized a team to the location and successfully recovered the animals, which are now under police custody.

Sources at the command said investigations are ongoing in collaboration with local stakeholders to verify the rightful owners of the recovered cattle.

Authorities have urged herders and farmers to maintain peaceful coexistence and report any suspicious activities to the police for timely intervention.

Police recover 40 suspected rustled cows in Plateau

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights