NDLEA’s Significant Drug Seizure Disrupts Trafficking Syndicate
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted 1.63 million tramadol tablets concealed in two long-distance trailers en route to Kano. This operation represents a substantial victory against a transnational drug trafficking network that operates along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor.
Operatives Arrest Multiple Suspects in Coordinated Operations
In addition to the seizure, the agency apprehended an 80-year-old suspected drug trafficker from Rivers State, along with a businessman accused of transporting cannabis from Canada, a Chadian woman, a married couple, and several other suspects. These arrests resulted from a coordinated anti-drug operation spanning Lagos, Edo, Kogi, and Rivers States.
Details of the Trailers’ Interception
NDLEA’s Media and Advocacy Director, Femi Babafemi, detailed the agency’s intelligence-led operation in a statement issued on Sunday. He explained that the initial trailer was intercepted on July 2 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. There, operatives discovered and recovered 853,000 tablets of 250mg tramadol, which were ingeniously hidden within a specially engineered compartment beneath the cargo floor.
Follow-Up Operations Yield Additional Drug Discoveries
Two days after the first interception, authorities acted swiftly again. On July 4, NDLEA operatives, acting on a tip-off, located and seized a second trailer on the same route, where they recovered an additional 777,000 tramadol tablets concealed under the bed of the truck. The driver, 22-year-old Muhamed Nuhu, was also arrested during this operation.
Connection to International Drug Trafficking Networks
Investigations confirmed that both shipments were linked to the same international trafficking organization. Babafemi noted that all three trucks and their cargoes, intercepted on June 21, July 2, and July 4, were part of this sophisticated network operating between the Togo-Benin Republic and Nigeria.
Significant Discoveries at Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Meanwhile, in a separate operation at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 4.70 kilograms of a synthetic cannabis strain known as Canadian Loud. This shipment arrived in a paper box labeled “Odugwu” on flights from Canada operated by British Airways and Ethiopian Airlines. The operation resulted in the arrests of cargo agents Ali Rotimi Samson and Olumolade Oluwagbenga, along with Ede Onyamachi Stanisulus, who had come to collect the shipment.
Ongoing Efforts in Drug Abuse Education and Enforcement
The investigation further led to the arrest of 44-year-old Chioma Nneka Mokeme, identified as the alleged owner of the shipment. She claimed to run a printing business and stated that a friend in Canada introduced her to this illicit trade. Additionally, NDLEA operatives in Rivers State arrested 80-year-old Chika Ugwuozi, who was found with 800 grams of skunk. In Edo State, a raid on a suspected drug warehouse resulted in the arrest of a couple and the seizure of over 400 kilograms of various cannabis products.
NDLEA’s Commitment to Combatting Drug Trafficking
In Kogi State, law enforcement arrested Hajara Abdullahi, a 38-year-old Chadian woman, along with her accomplice Abdulkarim Jeddah, during a raid that uncovered 50,000 tramadol tablets. The NDLEA’s efforts extend beyond enforcement; the agency also continues its War on Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting educational programs in schools across multiple states, including Katsina, Enugu, Lagos, Rivers, Ekiti, and Kano, to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Recognition and Vigilance in Ongoing Operations
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, praised the dedication of operatives involved in these national efforts. He underscored the significant contributions made by personnel across the country in the fight against illegal drug trafficking and abuse. Marwa emphasized the need for continued vigilance as the agency intensifies its offensive against these pressing issues.
