The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illicit drugs, intercepting a consignment of codeine-based syrup worth over N1.1 billion at the Onne Ports Complex in Rivers State, alongside multiple seizures of cannabis and other narcotics across the country.
Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on Thursday, September 4, led to the discovery of 160,200 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in a 40-foot container at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT). The shipment, disguised with 220 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares, was among consignments tracked by NDLEA’s special operations unit.
In Lagos, operatives arrested two suspects, Tunde Ayinla (47) and Olawale Omotare (54), on September 1 while loading distribution vehicles with drugs at their residence in Surulere. The raid yielded 625kg of cannabis variants, including Canadian Loud, Colorado, and Ghana Loud. Similarly, on September 5, a couple—Andy David (43) and Andy Esther (44)—were arrested in Ajegunle with 24.4kg of skunk, while Gabriel Michael, a Milan-based Nigerian, was intercepted at the Lagos airport attempting to smuggle 24,480 pills of tramadol to Italy. He reportedly planned to sell the consignment for €19,520.
In Abuja, a dispatch rider, Joel Bernard (32), was arrested in Gwarimpa on September 4 with 3.1kg of Colorado. Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Niger State intercepted a Toyota Hilux on September 2, recovering 342kg of skunk from the vehicle driven by Afolayan Ayodele (54).
Further operations led to the arrest of Musa Isah (45) in Kogi State with 53.4kg of skunk concealed in his car, while in Edo State, Yunusa Zakari (23) was apprehended in connection with a 233kg cannabis seizure earlier made in Kaduna. In Anambra, 11,000 tramadol pills were seized from Ayouk Nelson (28) in Onitsha.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 7.5 hectares of cannabis farms in Joro-Ade village, Ardo Kola LGA, eliminating about 18,750kg of cannabis. Two suspected cultivators, Mako Zmar (55) and Sani Titus (45), were arrested during the operation.
Beyond enforcement, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns across the country, engaging correctional officers in Nasarawa, ward heads in Kano, traditional medicine practitioners in Anambra, and traditional rulers in Kogi.
Commending the officers involved, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged personnel nationwide to sustain the Agency’s balanced approach of enforcement and advocacy in tackling Nigeria’s drug problem.