NDLEA seizes 14.4 million pills of opioids worth N13 billion seized in Lagos raids

Arrests 3 blind members of drug syndicate, others

No less than fourteen million, four hundred and eighty one thousand, five hundred and nineteen, (14, 481, 519), pills of Tramadol and bottles of codeine syrup worth over thirteen billionaira (N13,000,000,000) in street value have been recovered by operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), in three major busts of drug cartels operating in Amuwo Odofin, Idumota and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company, (SAHCO), shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

According to the agency’s weekly report made public by the Director Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi the three intelligence-led operations began with the raid of House 8/10 Hon. Wahuha Avenue, Divine Estate, Ago Palace area of Amuwo Odofin on Sunday 29th October, where 490,000 pills of tramadol and 81,519 bottles of codeine syrup measuring 4, 510, 000mls were recovered.

“On Tuesday 31st October, NDLEA operatives swooped on a secret warehouse operated by a billionaire Idumota trader, Nwaoha Anayo located at Onitire, Aguda area of Surulere where twelve million seven hundred thousand, (12, 700, 000), pills of tramadol were recovered.”

The report contains that at least six members of a syndicate using their official cover to facilitate the smuggling of illicit drugs through the SAHCO warehouse at the Lagos airport into the country have been arrested and one million two hundred and ten thousand, (1, 210, 000), pills of tramadol seized from them in an operation that lasted weeks.

“The six suspects now in NDLEA custody include: Oladele Sanya-Olu; Lawal Itunu Temitope; Sanamo Alla Daniel; Udeh Felix Monday; Musa Mutalib and Unege Evans Icibor, while three other suspects: Sarki Mubarak Salami; Abdullahi Aliyu (aka Aboki); and Monday Anwal, are now on the run and wanted by NDLEA,” the report contains.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Sunday 29th October intercepted yet another businessman, 50-year-old Nwokolo Ifeanyi Anthony during the outward clearance of Air France flight AF 878 to Amsterdam, Netherlands via Paris, France at the boarding gate and was body scanned. The result turned out to be positive for illicit drug ingestion.

The suspect who travelled from Lagos to board the flight was subsequently kept under observation for some days during which he excreted a total of 86 pellets of heroin weighing 1.330kilograms.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, (DOGI), attached to courier firms on Monday 30th October intercepted 22 parcels of cocaine concealed in the walls of a carton containing sewn local fabrics popularly called Aso Oke, heading to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Three blind men operating an illicit drug ring between Lagos and Kano, have been arrested while another blind member of the syndicate is still at large.

The group’s operations was bursted following the arrest of a blind suspect, Adamu Hassan, 40, along Gwagwalada expressway Abuja with 12kgs of skunk on his way from Lagos to Kano on Saturday 28th October. Investigations however established that he was totally oblivious of the content of the bag handed to him to deliver in Kano but Follow up operations led to the arrest of the arrowhead of the syndicate, Bello Abubakar, 45, who is also blind.

In his statement, Bello who is married with five children said he has been living in Lagos for 30 years but started the illicit drug business five years ago.

Another suspect, Muktar Abubakar, 59, who is equally blind has been living in Lagos for 40 years and married to three wives with 14 children. Both Muktar Abubakar and Bello Abubakar are joint owners of the business, while the third suspect, Akilu Amadu, 25, also blind equally contributes money to the criminal trade and was indeed the one who delivered the consignment to Adamu at the motor park in Lagos to deliver in Kano.

Another blind suspect who is the expected receiver of the consignment in Kano, Mallam Aminu is currently at large.

Other arrests and seizures have also taken place in Osun and Ogun among others.

The agency said it will continue to upscale it’s War Against Drug Abuse, (WADA), to keep Nigerians safe from drugs abuse.

Commending officers and men of the NDLEA and partner agencies for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier. General Mohamed Buba-Marwa, (Retd), charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain focused as the Agency expands its operations against drug cartels.