Abuja (Nigeria): The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized no fewer than 85,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids at the Apapa area of Lagos.
The Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the drugs were seized from a trio of Dauda Abubakar, Abdullahi Umar, and Ismaila Muhammed on Monday, Sept. 22.
He added that the NDLEA operatives in Abuja, the following day, Tuesday, Sept. 23, arrested Opeyemi Ogundipe, 40, with 2.1kg of Colorado along Abaji- Gwagwalada expressway.
Meanwhile, in Kaduna, a suspect, Adedamola Olayeni, 56, was arrested on Monday, Sept. 22, with 404 blocks of skunk weighing 262.6kg at the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate.
Babafemi stated that the consignment was discovered in his Honda Pilot jeep, marked MKA 499 TT, which originated from Osogbo, Osun, and was en route to Katsina State.
Also, another suspect, Zubairu Haruna, 30, was on Wednesday, Sept. 24, found with 506grams of methamphetamine at the Gwantu – Fadan Karshi check point, Kaduna.
Babafemi stated that a follow-up operation in Gombe State resulted in the arrest of the actual recipient of the consignment, Babangida Mohammed, 25.
Similarly, Babafemi stated that the agency’s commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.
This, he said, includes: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of RCM Primary School 1, Igboora, Oyo; Champion International Academy, Enugu-Ezike, Enugu; Government Day Secondary School, Babban-Mutum, Katsina.
“Others are Government Girls Arabic Secondary School, Dakata Kawaji, Nasarawa LGA, Kano; Solomon Primary School, Oko Balogun, Epe, Lagos, among others.
“The Kogi state command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Ejeh Ankpa, HRH Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Yakubu in Ankpa,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of the Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, FCT, and Ekiti Commands for their arrests, seizures, and dexterity.
Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues nationwide to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the agency’s drug control efforts.
He noted that “the success of the various operations across the country underscores our commitment to safeguarding Nigeria from illicit substances that threaten public health and national security.
“Every gram of these dangerous drugs we seize and remove from our streets and communities reinforces our determination to protect our youths, disrupt criminal networks, and strengthen national security.