NDLEA arrests seven drug dealers in Kano   

• Records largest cocaine seizure at Port Harcourt airport
• Seizes tramadol tablets worth N5 billion at Lagos airport, Abuja, Edo

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested seven drug dealers in raids in parts of Kano with 80 kilogrammes of codeine and pentazocine injection seized from them.

Those arrested in Rijiyar Zaki, Brigade, Yan-Kaba, Tudun Wada, Karfi, Ungogo and Nasarawa areas of the state include: Muhammad Adamu; Abba Sani; and Auwalu Muhammad, among others.

Also, a Brazilian returnee, Nnanna Anayo Michael, 39, was arrested by operatives on Tuesday, March 29, at Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA),with 73 sachets weighing 8.15 kilogrammes of cocaine, which is the largest seizure of such at the airport, since it began international flight operations years ago.

Spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement yesterday, said Michael, who hails from Ekwusigo in Anambra State was arrested, during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt.

During preliminary interview, Michael, who said he departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday midnight en route Qatar to Port Harcourt, claimed an unidentified person in Sao Paulo gave him six bed sheets, in which the drug was concealed to deliver to another unidentified person at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

According to Babafemi, the 73 cocaine sachets were hidden in 4×1 feet factory sewn colourful bed sheets.

“Five of the bed sheets contain 12 sachets each, while the sixth bed sheet contains 13 sachets.

“An immediate follow up operation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Monday Alaisu, who travelled from Lagos to pick the drug from Michael.

Usman and Aminu

“He was arrested at the airport’s car park, where he was waiting to receive Michael with the latter’s photograph taken at the Brazilian airport and his international passport’s data page in his hand,” Babafemi said.

Also, no fewer than 9.5 million tablets of pharmaceutical opioids: Tramadol and Exol 5 worth over N5 billion were seized at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, and Edo State by  NDLEA operatives and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

Of the figure, 214 cartons of tramadol 225 under 10 different brand names, which translate to 9, 219, 400 tablets weighing 6, 384.5kg, with an estimated street value of N4, 609, 700, 000 were transferred on Tuesday, March 29, alongside 85 cartons of dried Khat leaves with a total weight of 1, 327.35kg by the Nigerian Customs to the MMIA Command of NDLEA as a symbol of the synergy between the two law enforcement agencies.

In Abuja, about 228,740 tablets and capsules of Tramadol and Exol 5 were intercepted on Friday, April 1, at Abaji area of the FCT.

The truck conveying the drugs was loaded in Lagos heading to Kano. Though the truck driver escaped into the bush, during the search of the vehicle, two of his assistants; Usman Abdulmumini, 23 and Aminu Ahmad, 22, were arrested.

In Oyo State, 17.6kg cannabis was transferred along with a suspect, Ramon Dauda, 40, to the state command of NDLEA by the Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigerian Customs Service, just as narcotic officers on patrol along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday, March 31, intercepted a consignment of 10kg cannabis and 12.1grammes of amphetamine in a commercial bus. A follow up operation in Ilesa, Osun State led to the arrest of the owner of the drug exhibits, Mrs. Remi Aluko, 44.

The anti narcotic agents also raided three drug joints at Wire road, Benin City and Uromi town in Esan Central Local Council, where 188 pinches of cocaine and heroin were recovered with five suspects arrested.

In another raid in Okada town, a patent medicine dealer, Harrison Odion was arrested with 70 bottles of codeine based cough syrup; 9,638 tramadol capsules; 16,843 tablets of Exol-5; 80 tablets of Diazepam and 62 ampoules of Diazepam injection.

In the same vein, operatives in the state destroyed seven clusters of dry season cannabis sativa farms in Okpuje Forest along the banks of River Ose totalling 3.124998 hectares.

While commending the relationship between NDLEA and other security agencies in the country, Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), charged officers and men of the MMIA, PHIA, FCT, Edo, Oyo and Kano Commands not to rest on their oars.