Abuja: In a sweeping anti-narcotics operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched coordinated raids across five states, leading to the arrest of 15 suspects and the seizure of large quantities of banned substances.
The crackdown, which lasted for four days in separate raids conducted across four states which targeted notorious drug hotspots, underscores the agency’s intensified efforts to stem the flow of illicit drugs and safeguard public health and security.
NDLEA’s spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, who disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said the agency’s operatives carried out the raids between Wednesday and Saturday.
According to him, the states in which the raids were carried out include Kano, Gombe, Borno, and Niger.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives nabbed a suspected drug trafficker in Kano State with 36,000 pills of tramadol along the Danbatta-Kazaure road on Wednesday.
“A total of 25,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from another suspect at Gombe Roundabout on Friday.
“Two suspects were also arrested on the same day with 49 blocks of compressed skunk that weighed 29kg at Kwadom, Yemaltu Deba Local Government Area(LGA) of Gombe state.
“In another development, in Borno, NDLEA officers on patrol along Baga Road, Maiduguri, on Saturday, intercepted 74,360 pills of opioids in a Mercedes Benz C180 car marked GUB 409 AA.”
According to him, a 44-year-old suspect is being detained in connection with the seizure.
“Three suspects were arrested on Saturday during an intelligence-led raid at Narayi High Cost area of Chikun LGA, Kaduna State.
“In Bayelsa, a 63-year-old grandmother was on Thursday arrested at Osiri area of Yenagoa in connection with the seizure of 163 litres of skuchies,” he said.
Babafemi further disclosed that NDLEA’s operatives arrested four suspects along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi on Thursday.
He said that the suspected drug traffickers were arrested in connection with the seizure of 2 kg of methamphetamine recovered during a search of their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra, to Minna in Niger.
“Similarly, in Abia, NDLEA officers on Monday, July 14, raided the base of a notorious drug dealer at 4 Niger Street, Ugwa Road, Aba.”
He said that various quantities of tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and a total of N736,000 monetary exhibits were allegedly recovered from him.
Babafemi also disclosed that the agency’s operatives also raided a popular hotel located at 115 Ogudu road in Kosofe, Lagos State, where different party drugs were being distributed and sold.
He said that the raid followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed a wanted suspect as the arrowhead of the drug network.
“At the time of the operation, 1.30kg of Chocolate Cannabis, 900grams of gummies and 22.9grams of skunk were recovered from the suspect’s room in the hotel. Other items recovered from the hotel include three vehicles.
“The hotel, which is a 20-room facility, was running as a family business, housing mothers and siblings,” he said.