NDLEA nabs pregnant woman, female undergraduate, others over illicit drug trafficking

•Intercepts drug consignments in winter jackets, body lotion at Lagos airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a pregnant woman, Rabetu Abdulrasak, 24, and a physically challenged, Shehu Adams, in Agbede, Etsako West Local Council of Edo State, while over 14 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs, including Cannabis sativa, methamphetamine, tramadol and swinol were recovered from them on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

Also, the operatives intercepted consignments of tramadol, tohypnol, Ecstasy (designer drug) and Cannabis sativa concealed in winter jackets and bottles of body cream at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The psychoactive substances were recovered at the new terminal of the airport on Friday, April 14, following the arrest of a passenger, Joshua Sunday, who was traveling on a Qatar Airline flight via Doha to Oman,in the Middle East.

Spokesperson for the Agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday, said: “A thorough search of the suspect’s two black bags led to the discovery of 4.80 kilogrammes of Cannabis sativa concealed in three winter jackets and various quantities of tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy (designer drug) hidden in bottles of body lotion.”

According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect came into Nigeria from Oman on April 7, and was returning exactly a week after.

In the same vein, a Lekki Lagos-based businessman, Cyril Chidiebere, was on Friday, April 14, arrested along with two of his freight agents, Mejabi Peter Sunday and Oyeyinka Babatunde, over their involvement in the importation of 12 parcels of Loud, a strain of Cannabis sativa, weighing 6.50kg, which was part of a consolidated cargo brought in from the United States of America.

“The arrest and seizure followed a three-day intelligence-led operation. Following the arrival of the cargo at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) import shed of the MMIA, its movement out of the airport was closely monitored in a sting operation until the actual importer, Cyril Chidiebere, was arrested in his house at Abraham Adesanya estate, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos.

“Both Mejabi and Chidiebere have made useful statements to confirm that the latter has been involved in dealing on illicit drugs in the past,” Babafemi added.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old HND 1 female student of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, Isoyo Iveren Susan, was on Saturday, April 15, arrested opposite 2nd Gate of the institution for dealing in illicit drugs.

Recovered from her, include: 1,100ml of codeine-based cough syrup and 283 grammes of Cannabis sativa. This is just as operatives in Lagos arrested two suspects: Nonso Peter, 21, and Bright Chibike, 23, with 43.4kg Cannabis sativa at Ile-Epo, Abule Egba area of the state on Friday, April 14.

“In Katsina State, no less than 1,730 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized from a suspect, Bishir Sa’adu in Katsina metropolis on Sunday, April 9, just as Muhamadu Yusuf, was equally arrested same day with 8,000 capsules of tramadol inside a commercial bus along Kano – Katsina road.

“Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna on Thursday, April 13, raided a clandestine laboratory where mist potassium citrate was being produced in a residential apartment at 16 Sabon Gari, Zaria.

“The owner of the lab, Christopher Agodi was arrested and 102 cartons containing 2,448 bottles of the substance recovered. While a suspect, Salisu Abdullahi, 25, was arrested along Abuja-Kaduna road with 11.7kg Cannabis sativa concealed in two jerrycans, which he was moving from Port Harcourt to Kano. Operatives, also, on Saturday, April 15, nabbed one Atiku Abubakar, 22, on the same road with 50 blocks of Cannabis weighing 28kg while travelling from Lagos to Shinkafi in Zamfara State, in a commercial bus.

“Similarly, anti-narcotic officers acting on a tip-off, arrested two suspects-Aminu Saudi, 45 and Abdullahi Sani, 35, at Ogbese, Ondo State, with 11 jumbo bags containing 211kg of Cannabis sativa concealed in rice chaffs. This was closely followed by the destruction of six hectares of Cannabis sativa farm in Uso forest, in the state,on Thursday, April 13,” Babafemi said.

MEANWHILE, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Edo, Ogun, Lagos, Katsina, Kaduna and Ondo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week.

He urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain focused and continue the current drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts simultaneously.