Abia State Government in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abia Command, has seized large amount of hard drugs and arrested an alleged major drug lord, Adaobi Nweke and other hard drug peddlers in a string operation carried out by a joint operation in Umuahia.
Drugs worth 1.217 kg were seized and five persons, including two males and three females were nabbed during the exercise.
Addressing newsmen after the operation, the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, thanked the Senior Special Assistant to Governor on Homeland Security and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the successful operation.
He said the Abia State Government is committed to flushing out all forms of criminality, describing drugs as the bedrock of all criminal activities.
The deputy governor said that Abia is not a haven for criminals and warned all drug kingpins and other criminals in the state to relocate or face arrests.
“Abia is not a haven for any criminal. To all drug kingpins, the directives from the governor of Abia State is very clear, stay away from Abia State, we don’t need you. You are not part of the development of the state. Drugs can’t develop Abia State. We want our youths to be safe and very useful to the Government of Abia State. Drugs happen to be the bedrock of all criminal activities that can be done by any group of people.”
He added that right from the inception of the Governor Alex Otti-led administration, the government had already promised Abia people of its determination to flush out all kinds of criminality in the state, adding that it started with Lokpanta Cattle Market, where kidnapping activities were taking place.
Earlier in his remark, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Homeland security, Mr Chukwunenye Alajemba, narrated how the joint operation led to the success achieved.
“Yesterday, the 14th day of February, 2024, just before midnight, the office of the Governor on homeland security in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Abia Command, conducted a successful joint operation on the premises of one Miss Adaobi Nweke at number 23 Arochukwu Street by Calabar road where the joint team seized a very large amount of prohibited drugs, like cocaine, cannabis, metamephetamin which is called mkpurumiri and cash sum of more than N500,000.
He disclosed that the alleged drug lord, Adaobi, is a lawyer by profession.
Mr Alajemba, who further stated that the operatives also raided a popular hotel around Downbelow also in Umuahia, said the state government has declared war on drugs and all forms of criminality in the state.
He appreciated the NDLEA for its support and disclosed that the war against drugs in the state is still ongoing and advised those peddling drugs to desist forthwith.
