The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Sunday, said its operatives intercepted a consignment of illicit drug consignment concealed in the engine compartment of an interstate commercial bus w
The agency said it also arrested and took into custody two grandfathers over alleged drug trafficking.
The NDLEA noted that no fewer than 5.2kg of cannabis sativa and opioids were discovered in the engine compartment of the interstate commercial bus marked VDY 187 XA on Thursday, 7th March 2024, along Gbongan – Ibadan road, Osun State by its officers on a stop and search operation on the highway.
The anti-narcotic agency said the bus driver, Iorliam Sughnen Dominic, 35, who took responsibility for the concealment was taken into custody for further investigation.
Details of the drug burst were disclosed in a statement by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.
Babafemi said the previous day Wednesday 6th March, a 26-year-old lady, Obasanmi Esther Iyanu, who produces and distributes skuchies was arrested during a raid on her hideout in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
He disclosed that at least 16.5 litres of the illicit substance and different quantities of molly and cannabis were recovered from her during the raid.
Babafemi further announced that NDLEA operatives in Borno State arrested a 70-year-old grandfather, Mallam Mai Gemu Adam and 65-year-old Yamama Musa for drug trafficking.
According to the spokesman, they were arrested on Saturday 9th March along with 24-year-old Abubakar Ya’u and Babagana Abubakar Ali, 28, in Maiduguri and Gamboru-Ngala respectively while 32,000 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from them.
“Same day, operatives at Geidam in Yobe State intercepted a Golf 3 saloon car heading to Gagamari in Niger republic, where the occupant, Alhaji Mala Tijjani, 28, was to deliver 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 24.5kg to another dealer, while 42 cartons containing 8,400 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,260 kilograms were recovered from a driver, Mutari Ya’u, 29, at Katsina road, Kaduna on Tuesday 5th March.
“In Kano State, Nura Yusuf, 35, was arrested with 62kg cannabis at Gadar Tamburawa area, where Abubakar Sani, 40, was also nabbed with 244 bottles of codeine syrup, while Mohammad Alkali, 28, was found with 49, 800 pills of tramadol along Kano-Maiduguri road, on Thursday 7th March. This is just as NDLEA operatives in Lagos State on Wednesday 6th March arrested Aba Thomas at the Igbo Elerin area of the state where 84 litres of scrunchies, 1.1 litres of codeine syrup,4kg cannabis sativa, and 800 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from him.
“No fewer than eight suspects were arrested on Friday 8th March when NDLEA officers raided the notorious Karu abattoir drug joint in the FCT, Abuja with 51.3kg cannabis recovered from them. Those arrested include: Buhari Muhammadu; Jamilu Muhammed; Abubakar Wappa; Yahaya Tasiu; Ezekiel Mulanda; Abba Haruna; Habibu Umar and Shamsu Lawali,” Babafemi added.
Similarly, NDLEA disclosed that it arrested two suspects: Pam Thomas, 45, and Stephen Nyam, 38, with cannabis weighing 611.428kg at Zawan, Jos South, while in Kogi state, the operatives intercepted a commercial J5 bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Zaria, Kaduna state on Wednesday along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway.
According to the statement, a total of 8,580 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were seized from a suspect, Yusuf Abdullahi, 40.
Meanwhile, the operatives on Tuesday, raided some lock-up shops at the new market in the Enugu metropolitan area, adding that 371.42kg cannabis and 9.49grams of methamphetamine were recovered.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, rtd, commended the efforts of the Borno, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Osun, Lagos, Plateau, Enugu, Yobe and FCT Commands of the Agency for jobs well done in the past week.
Marwa charged them and their compatriots in other formations nationwide not to rest on their oars as they continue to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.
