The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 42-year-old man, Ahmad Mohammed, for taking thousands of concealed opioid pills to insurgents’ enclave in the Banki area of Borno state.
The agency said the suspect was one of 24 suspected drug traffickers and dealers including those arrested in various interdiction efforts in eight states.
Director Media and Advocacy NDLEA headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement, Sunday, also said the arrested suspects include a six-month-old-pregnant lady, a mother of three children, and three other women.
Babafemi said operatives seized over 7,609 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs.
The statement reads: “In Borno state, a 42-year-old suspected supplier of illicit drugs to insurgents in Banki, a border region between Nigeria and Cameroon, Ahmad Mohammed was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Friday 9th February at Bama checkpoint. When his luggage was searched 20,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from him while on his way to deliver the opioid consignment in the border town.
“A six-month pregnant woman, Amarachi Akaolisa, 25, and another lady, Ifeoma Iheanyi, 21, were among six suspects arrested for dealing in illicit substances in Oraifite and Umuni-Evili, Aguleri, Anambra state.
“Others nabbed include Okwuchukwu Chukwuka; Onyedika Ngwu; Ekene Hyginus and Nzomiwu Ikechukwu. Recovered from them were over 6 kilograms of cannabis, tramadol, diazepam, and codeine syrup in raids conducted by NDLEA operatives between Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th Feb in parts of the state.
“In Lagos, two ladies: Boluwatife Adebayo and Omolade Fola Adebayo were among suspects arrested during raids in parts of the state on Saturday 10th February. While Ogah Sunday Adole and Boluwatife Adebayo were arrested at Agidingbi, Ikeja, in connection with 220grams of cannabis, 10.6 litres of codeine syrup, and other psychotropic substances, Omolade Fola Adebayo was nabbed at Ijesha with various quantities of cannabis, codeine syrup, rohypnol and molly.”
Babafemi said the bulk of the seizures were made in Nasarawa state where NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Sunday February 4, 2024 intercepted a truck marked Lagos JJJ 64 YC.
