Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested two suspected drug kingpins in Lagos and seized multiple consignments of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine being prepared for export to Europe.
According to a statement released by the NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday, the men were arrested for allegedly leading separate drug syndicates, as revealed in weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance by the Agency’s Special Operations Unit (SOU).
“While 64-year-old Nwosa parades himself as a successful textile merchant, 49-year-old Obiegbu is known to many as a businessman who is into wine distribution, but beneath their outward appearance is their hidden illicit drug business unearthed by NDLEA operatives after months of intelligence gathering on the two syndicates led by them,” the statement read.
Babafemi also reported major interceptions in other states. In Borno, 26-year-old Baba Kaka Ibrahim was arrested on 27 September with 39,380 pills of tramadol and exol-5 hidden in the engine compartment of a Mercedes-Benz GLK.
That same day in Yobe, operatives seized 39 parcels of Colorado weighing 1.4kg from a lady, Halima Adamu, on the Damaturu–Maiduguri road, leading to the arrest of another suspect in Maiduguri.
In Kano, the agency said it arrested two men with 30,030 pills of tramadol, while in Bayelsa, three suspects were caught at Swali jetty with 12kg of cannabis and 50 cartridges.
In Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja, the statement said, “a suspect Adedamola Olayeni, 56, was on Monday, 22nd September, arrested with 404 blocks of skunk weighing 262.6kg at the Abuja – Kaduna tollgate. The consignment was found in his Honda Pilot jeep marked MKA 499 TT, coming from Osogbo, Osun state and heading to Katsina state.
“Another suspect, Zubairu Haruna, 30, was on Wednesday, 24th September, found with 506grams of methamphetamine at the Gwantu – Fadan Karshi check point, Kaduna, while a follow-up operation in Gombe state led to the arrest of the actual receiver of the consignment, Babangida Mohammed, 25.
“No fewer than 85,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids were seized from the trio of Dauda Abubakar; Abdullahi Umar and Ismaila Muhammed at Apapa area of Lagos on Monday 22nd September, while NDLEA operatives in Abuja the following day Tuesday 23rd September arrested Opeyemi Ogundipe, 40, with 2.1kg Colorado along Abaji- Gwagwalada expressway.”
In Edo State, NDLEA destroyed more than 24 tonnes of cannabis plants in large forest farms, arrested suspects, and intercepted a truck carrying 1,025kg of concealed skunk along the Wareke–Auchi road.
Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) commended officers for the series of successful operations across Lagos, Borno, Yobe, Kano, Edo, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Kaduna and the FCT.
He said the seizures reflect the Agency’s determination to protect Nigerian youths, dismantle criminal networks and strengthen national security.
“Every gram of these dangerous drugs we seize and remove from our streets and communities reinforces our commitment to safeguard public health and national security,” Marwa stated.
He urged NDLEA commands to sustain the momentum in the ongoing War Against Drug Abuse campaign.
The arrests come as the NDLEA this month commissioned a modern, German-built canine complex in Lagos, a facility it says will boost its detection and interdiction capacity.https://punchng.com/ndlea-unveils-german-built-sniffer-dog-facility/
The complex, which began in August 2024 and was handed over on schedule, is intended to provide improved infrastructure and working conditions for the Agency’s Canine Unit.
Marwa has credited sniffer dogs with playing a critical role in previous high-profile seizures.
According to the Agency, the canine teams have been instrumental in seizing more than 17.9 tonnes of illicit substances since their deployment.
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