Drug Trafficking: NDLEA seizes 294,440 Tramadol tablets, 38,862 cartridges in Bauchi, Delta, others

*Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency discloses it has arrested a total of 41 suspects in raids in Abuja, Kaduna, Bauchi and Lagos states for illicit drug trafficking

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of the regulatory agency’s measures to rid the country of illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that its operatives intercepted about 294,440 Tramadol tablets and other prohibited drugs in major operations in Delta, Bauchi, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

ConsumerConnect reports the NDLEA stated that it arrested a total of 41 suspects in raids in Abuja, FCT, and Kaduna State, in Northern Nigeria.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Spokesman of the agency, who said this in a statement issued Sunday, March 6, 2022, noted that in Delta State, certain Christian Onah was arrested at Isele- Azagba junction with 23,160 tablets of Swinol and 66,000 tablets of Rohypnol, both weighing 71.6kg while conveying the drugs from Benin, Edo to Onitsha, Anambra state.

The NDLEA also stated that in another arrest, a commercial vehicle from Onitsha heading for Ibadan, in Oyo State, was intercepted at Abraka junction, Asaba Wednesday, March 2 with 78,000 capsules of Tramadol; 5,000 tablets of Diazepam and 97,500 tablets of Exol-5, while a suspect, Olaniyan Sunday, was arrested.

The regulatory agency said: “One female suspect, Patricia Saduwa, was arrested with 233.7kg of cannabis during a raid in Orogun community close to Abbi town in Kwale LGA, Delta State on Friday, March 4, while 123.7kg of cannabis was also seized in another raid in the community on the same day.

“The owner is said to be at large.

“In Bauchi, operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse at Gadar- Maiwa, Ningi Local Government Area, where 542.5kg of cannabis; 6,800 tablets of Diazepam and 12,400 tablets of Exol-5 were recovered on Wednesday, March 2.

“At least 30 suspects were arrested at the Malali area of Kaduna State during raids aimed at destroying drug joints across the state.”

NDLEA further stated that a suspect, Usman Dahiru, was arrested with 24kg of cannabis concealed in two sacks of used clothes Thursday, March 3, along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, where another suspect, Abdulrazaq Rabi’u was also arrested with 100,000 counterfeit US dollars.

According to the agency, the operatives same day in Anambra State recovered 38,862 red star cartridges along with 13 cartons of illicit drugs when they raided a warehouse in Onitsha.

In Abuja, 11 suspects were arrested and 81.2kg of drugs were seized in a major raid operation on Saturday, March 5 in ‘black spots’ like Torabora, Karu Abattoir, Jabi motor park and forest.

At the Lagos airport, one Audu Muhammed was arrested at the SAHCO export shed on Saturday, March 5, with 1.550kg cannabis concealed in golden morn cereal packs meant for Dubai, UAE.

Days earlier, a suspect, Olalekan Wasiu Ayinde was also arrested at the export shed with 4,980 capsules of Tramadol; 600 capsules of Rohypnol and some designer drugs concealed inside locust beans and hidden among food items for export to South Africa.

Meanwhile, Nwoku Princewill Uche, a principal suspect in the importation of 451,807 Captagon tablets weighing 79.119kg at Apapa Seaport Lagos, has been taken into custody after six months on the run.

Known as ‘Jihadist drug’, the consignment was the first-ever recorded seizure of Captagon in the West and Central African Sub-Region. In his statements, Uche claimed to have met the person who gave him the job on LinkedIn while he was paid N5m to clear the container.

According to NDLEA, he then used a third-party bank account to process the Form M for the clearing of the illicit consignments.

While commending officers and men of the Delta, Bauchi, Kaduna, Anambra, FCT, Apapa port and MMIA Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) charged them to remain vigilant and on the offensive until all drug cartels in Nigeria are completely dismantled.

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