NDLEA destroys cannabis farm, recovers drugs in Kano, Osun, Borno raids

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have destroyed over 100,000 kilograms of cannabis spread across 51 hectares of farmland at Ise-Ekiti forest reserve in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, September 8, 2024.

Babafemi noted that the cannabis was destroyed after the NDLEA operatives, supported by the troops of the Nigerian Army, stormed three camps inside the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 4.

He said the affected settlements included Aba Saalaja with 23 hectares, Aba Paanu with 12 hectares, and Aba Arogunmatidi with 16 hectares, all within the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve.

The NDLEA spokesman added that two suspects – Bala Musa, 42, and Danladi Muhammad, 44, – were arrested with 305kg cannabis concealed in a false compartment of a J5 boxer bus along Toro-Jos Road in Kaduna State on Friday, September 6.

Babafemi disclosed that another 24-year-old suspect, Aminu Ayuba, was arrested in possession of 18 kilograms of the same substance at Makarfi town.

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Babafemi said two suspects, 40-year-old Umar Usman and 45-year-old Zubairu Kabiru, were arrested along the Zaria- Kaduna highway in possession of 1300 tablets of tramadol on Friday.

He stated that the NDLEA operatives also arrested a 40-year-old suspect, Idris Muhammad, with 13,100 pills of tramadol in the Ramat area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Thursday, September 5.

The NDLEA spokesman noted that anti-narcotic officers, on Wednesday, September 4, nabbed 35-year-old Hakilu Usman with 25.8kg cannabis and 3,000 pills of diazepam along Kano–Daura Road in Kano

Babafemi added that a raid of the home of a drug kingpin, Mayowa Abayomi Awe, fondly called Bishop in the Ilesa area of Osun State on Wednesday, September 4, led to the seizure of 43grams of crack cocaine, 23grams of methamphetamine, 17.126kg cannabis, and a locally made pistol.

He said the anti-drug agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.

Babafemi listed the activities to include the WADA enlightenment lecture for students of Kano State Polytechnic, Kano; staff of Don Bosco Science Academy, Ukhun, Ekpoma, Edo State;  members of Peace Corps, Osogbo, Osun State; Council of Traditional Rulers, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; and taxi drivers at Central Motor Park in Sokoto State; among others.

The Star