NDLEA Seizes N14.9 Billion Worth of Opioids, Arrests Octogenarian, Community Leader’s Family

NDLEA Seizes N14.9 Billion Worth of Opioids, Arrests Octogenarian, Community Leader’s Family

Iran-bound drug mule excretes 76 wraps of cocaine at Kano airport*

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 25 million pills of tapentadol, a potent opioid, and 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup with a combined street value of N14.95 billion at the Tincan port complex in Lagos. The seizures, made on September 17th and 20th, 2024, were from three containers flagged by the Agency through intelligence reports. Following a joint examination by the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies, the tapentadol consignment valued at N13.7 billion and the codeine syrup worth N2.45 billion were uncovered.

The tapentadol, found in 500 cartons, was discovered on September 17th, alongside 175,000 bottles of Barcadin codeine cough syrup. Another 175,000 bottles of CSC codeine cough syrup were seized from the third container on September 20th.

**Arrests Made Across the Country**

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos arrested 80-year-old Pa Aremu Shojobi at his Iyana Ipaja home on September 20th, where 14kg of cannabis was recovered. Shojobi admitted to selling illicit drugs for 25 years, sourcing his supply from Benin Republic and selling daily between 7 am and 10 pm.

In another operation, the NDLEA raided the homes of community leader, Alhaji Bashir Mohammed Talba, Sarkin Yamma of Badagry West LCDA, on September 18th, recovering 226kg of cannabis from his two wives and son. While Talba is still at large, 57.6kg of cannabis was seized from his first wife, Asma'u Bashiru, and son Sadat, while his second wife, Hauwa Bashir, was found with 168.6kg of cannabis at their Aketegbo home in Seme Badagry.

In Ojo, Lagos, 390kg of Arizona, a strain of cannabis, was recovered from a delivery van on September 16th.

**Iran-bound Drug Mule Arrested at Kano Airport**

At the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), NDLEA officers arrested 38-year-old drug mule Okafor Ifeanyi Anthony on September 15th as he attempted to board a Qatar Airlines flight to Iran via Doha with 76 wraps of cocaine in his stomach. After three days of excretion observation, Okafor expelled 76 pellets weighing 1.267kg.

**Seizures in Other States**

NDLEA officers made further drug seizures across the country. On September 17th, 700,000 pills of exol-5 were intercepted along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway en route to Kano and Kaduna. On September 20th, 23-year-old Udemefuna Chibuike was arrested on the Mokwa-Jebba road in Niger state with 49,000 tablets of tramadol, 20,000 diazepam tablets, and 100 ampoules of tramadol injection.

In Rivers state, 451 blocks of cannabis weighing 213kg were seized on September 18th in Port Harcourt, while in Plateau state, wanted suspect Jonathan Ali Abuttur was arrested on September 20th with 808kg of cannabis disguised in bags of sugar and fertilizer. A separate operation in Kwara state led to the arrest of Shaibu Musa, who was caught with 28kg of cannabis.

**NDLEA Expands Anti-drug Campaigns**

In addition to these operations, NDLEA continued its anti-drug sensitization campaigns across schools, markets, and communities. These initiatives, part of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), reached institutions such as Rayhaan Model Academy in Kebbi, Corpus Christi College in Ekiti, and traders at Agboju Market, Lagos, among others.

The Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the agency’s officers for their recent successes, highlighting their balanced approach in tackling both drug supply and demand.

Femi Babafemi

Director, Media & Advocacy

NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja

Sunday, September 22, 2024