In a sweeping series of operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended several individuals involved in drug trafficking across Nigeria, showcasing the agency’s relentless efforts to combat the drug menace.
Among the notable arrests is Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, the head of Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Osun State. The 50-year-old was arrested on Friday, July 5th, with fresh cannabis plants weighing 5kg. In a related development, a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, aged 25, was arrested on Wednesday, July 3rd, at Corpers Lodge in the Sumaila area of Kano with 1.250kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed in a statement that the agency’s operatives in Benue State intercepted a consignment of 350 grams of cocaine on Thursday, July 4th. The drugs were concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel. A follow-up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the parcel’s owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony.
Meanwhile, in Adamawa State, NDLEA officers on a stop-and-search operation along Ngurore-Yola road on Wednesday, July 3rd, apprehended a Chadian national, Yves Ahmat Gali. He was traveling from Kano to Yola in a commercial bus and was found with a loudspeaker concealing 20 compressed blocks and nine plastic containers of Loud, weighing 5.200kg.
In Ondo State, a five-day operation ending on Monday, July 1st, saw the arrest of two suspects, Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37. NDLEA operatives raided Ikota Forest in Ifedore LGA, destroying 42,500kg of cannabis on 17 hectares of farmland and recovering 73.5kg of the substance for prosecution.
Additionally, in Abuja, NDLEA operatives arrested Sanusi Mamman, 28, and Usaini Ibrahim, 20, on Saturday, July 6th, along the Abaji-Gwagwalada road. They were found with 1,132 bottles of codeine syrup, 13,540 pills of tramadol, 50,000 pills of diazepam, and 59 pills of Rohypnol, which they claimed to be transporting from Onitsha, Anambra State.
Simultaneously, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities, conducting enlightenment lectures in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities across the country.
These included sessions at Community Grammar School (Junior) in Ibadan, Oyo State; Candy Secondary School in Agu Awka, Anambra State; Community High School in Umuida, Enugu State; and the School for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Kano State.
The NDLEA also organized a WADA sensitization lecture at Sabo motor park in Kaduna, among other locations.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit and various state commands for their dedication to drug supply reduction and WADA sensitization.
He urged them to maintain the momentum in their fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
The NDLEA’s recent operations highlight its commitment to eradicating drug trafficking and ensuring a drug-free Nigeria, balancing enforcement with education and community outreach.
