NDLEA intercepts South Africa-bound drugs, nabs bandits drug suppliers

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 1.5 million pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol in a cargo going to South Africa at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, December 17, 2023.

Babafemi noted that the drugs were seized by the NDLEA operatives in collaboration with the officers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

He stated that two suspects, Bada Olanrewaju Akorede and Amusan Olufela Sharafadeen, have so far been taken into custody in connection with the consignment, which, he said, consists 1,050,000 pills of tramadol 225mg and 510,000 tablets of rohypnol.

The NDLEA spokesperson added that the anti-narcotic officers, on Friday, December 15, intercepted a consignment of 1,496 bottles of codeine syrup at the A.Y.A area of Abuja.

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He revealed that a 31-year-old suspect, Ozioma Enoja, was arrested in a follow-up operation.

Babafemi said another consignment of 400 bottles of the same opioid coming from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was also seized along the Abaji-Abuja highway on Saturday, December 16, after which a suspect, Bala Ishaq, was arrested during a follow-up operation at Zuba motor park in Abuja.

He disclosed that the NDLEA officers, on Tuesday, December 12, arrested a 29-year-old suspect, Bukar Ali, and 20-year-old Abacha Alhaji Fantami with 171kg of cannabis at Ngamdu, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

The NDLEA spokesman added that three suspects – Jamilu Haruna, 22; Mohammed Hassan, 23; and Aminu Umar, 50 – were also arrested with 57kg cannabis on Wednesday, December 13, at Tsafe checkpoint in Zamfara State, when they were on their way to Zurumi, a village known as bandits’ enclave.

Babafemi, therefore, quoted the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), as urging the anti-narcotic officers to intensify the offensive action tempo against drug cartels as the yuletide season approaches while maintaining an equal balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.

The Star