Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 41-year-old ex-convict and Malaysian returnee, Ndubuisi Udatu, also known as Richard, at Namtari checkpoint along Ngurore-Yola road in Adamawa State.

Udatu was caught with two new music speakers stuffed with four parcels of methamphetamine weighing 2.7 kilogrammes, which he was attempting to smuggle across the border into Cameroon. He was also found in possession of N22,300.

According to NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, the suspect was travelling in a commercial bus at the time of his arrest.

Udatu reportedly told investigators that he returned to Nigeria to continue his drug business after serving a jail term in Malaysia for drug trafficking offences.

In a related development, NDLEA officers, during a joint operation with Nigeria Customs Service personnel at the Mfum border in Cross River State, apprehended a 35-year-old trans-border trafficker, Odoh Peter Ikechukwu, with 8,740 ampoules of various opioids weighing 395 kilogrammes.

The recovered opioids included 1,080 ampoules of fentanyl injection, 2,160 of morphine sulphate, 3,010 of phenobarbital sulphate, 2,160 of pethidine, and 330 of midazolam injection.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Kano on Friday, April 11, arrested 27-year-old Aliyu Ibrahim at Bachirawa area with 20 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and 25,600 pills of tramadol, comprising 225mg and 250mg dosages.

Following this, a follow-up operation in Abuja led to the arrest of 48-year-old Gambo Lawan at Wazobia motor park, Gwagwalada, in connection with a consignment of 8,960 pills of tramadol earlier intercepted during a routine check along Gwagwalada expressway on Monday, April 7.

Also on April 11, operatives recovered 124 kilogrammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, packed in 11 jumbo bags from the boot of a Lexus car marked KTU 54 CU. The car was being driven by a 58-year-old suspect, Ademiluyi Adedapo Collins, along Mokwa-Jebba road in Niger State.