This was as the agency nabbed another kingpin in Ondo who jumped bail since 2022, just as 63,767.3kgs of cannabis and 82,320 pills of opioids have been recovered in raids across eight states.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, made the disclosures in a press release today, detailing the activities of the agency in the last one week.
Ibrahim Momoh, a notorious major distributor of illicit substances within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was during a raid of his hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area of the FCT.
Ibrahim Momoh was first arrested on 27 November, 2014 with cannabis sativa weighing 385.1kgs.
He was prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on 22 July, 2015. He however escaped from prison custody on 16 May, 2016 while serving his jail term at Kuje.
“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives, on 20 November, 2022, stormed the warehouse of the fleeing ex-convict, Ibrahim Momoh, and recovered 81 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,278kgs.
“The store was located within his poultry farm in Dei-Dei area of the FCT.
“Though Momoh was not around at the time, his warehouse manager, 55-year-old Ghanaian, Richard Forson Gordon was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years in jail.
“The agency thereafter declared Ibrahim Momoh wanted,” Babafemi stated in the release.
He disclosed that the manhunt for the drug lord paid off on 5 November, 2023 when operatives again raided his hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area of Abuja.
He added that Ibrahim Momoh was eventually arrested at his hideout and was caught with 56.9kgs of cannabis sativa and 42.7 grams of Diazepam.
“In another raid in the same area of the FCT on Monday, 13 November, a suspect, Yusufa Ibrahim (27), was arrested with 75.3kgs of cannabis,” Babafemi added.
Meanwhile, 52,500 kilograms of cannabis sativa covering over 21 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State.
The destruction followed a massive operation in the forest of Efon Alaye in Efon Local Government Area of the state last Saturday.
“A total of 92 bags of same substance weighing 1,380 kilograms were recovered and another 250 bags weighing 3,000kgs stored in different huts on the farm were also burnt.
“No fewer than 15 suspects were arrested on the farm during the operation.
“They included Okikiri Julius (27); Ozoemene Friday Efajemu (31); Tosin Ibrahim (18); Israel Samuel (25); Godwin David (39); Friday Isaac (19) and Ayomide Igbekele (18).
“Others were Joshua Daniel (27); Emmanuel Nwachukwu (19); Emeka Onyeama (31); Ani Augustine (27); Obasi Ogbu (32); Orsusue Peter (23); Daniel Emmanuel (18); and Yinusa James (22),” it was stated.
Five persons, including another wanted drug kingpin, Christopher Onyebuchi (40), were arrested at New Bridge Compound, Idoani, Ondo State.
They were arrested last Wednesday and a total of 1,945 kilograms of cannabis recovered from them. Others include: Olorunda Ojo (52); Femi Tomoye (22); Abdurahman Salahu (29); and Momoh Jimoh (31). Onyebuchi had earlier been arrested by NDLEA on 25 March, 2022 with 89kgs of same substance but jumped bail after he was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Akure.
Operatives in the state also raided Upemen Village in Owo, last Sunday where they recovered 1,834kgs of same substance with 273kgs.
Officers of the anti-narcotics agency had also seized the previous day, Saturday, at Ipesi Akoko, it was stated.
NDLEA officers recovered 290kgs of cannabis from a female suspect, Fatima Salmanu (20), at Gangaren Tashar, Illela Sokoto in Sokoto North Local Goverment Area, Sokoto State, Thursday.
Similarly, their colleagues in Edo State evacuated 808kgs of the same psychoactive substance stored in a forest at Igueben, last Monday.
Not less than 231kgs of cannabis were recovered and five suspects arrested in a joint raid by NDLEA operatives and soldiers in Kwande council area of Benue State, last Monday.
Those arrested included Denen Terhemba (25); Liambee Iorhuna (36); Iorhuna Sughnen (20); Aboh Sonter (23); and Msendoo Tyokaa (36).
Operatives in Ogun State, Tuesday, arrested a suspect, Tony Jonah, at Abule Iroko with cannabis sativa weighing 67kgs.
In Lagos, operatives arrested Chike Agu at Ago Palace way, Isolo with 364.3kgs of Loud, a variant of cannabis.
Last Monday, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Owerri -Onitsha Expressway, Imo State intercepted a truck marked XS 669KRD driven by one Orji Ifeanyi, 33.
A search of the truck led to the seizure of 82,320 pills of opioids including tramadol 225mg, and diazepam as well as 32.5 litres of codeine cough syrup and 100 pieces of molly weighing 49.62 grams.
The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign of the agency continued in equal measure in schools, markets, worship places and others across the country in the past week.
Some of them included WADA advocacy lecture for Muslim faithful at Badagry Central Mosque, Badagry, Lagos;
WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Government Science College, Wase, Plateau state;
WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Ogidi, Anambra state;
WADA advocacy lecture at St. Thomas Grammar School, Otan Aiyegbaju, Osun State;
WADA advocacy lecture for students and staff of Government Junior Arabic Secondary School, Maigatari, Jigawa State and students and staff of Mainland Technical College, Oron, Akwa Ibom State.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has commended the officers and men of the FCT, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, Ogun and Imo commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
He urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the agency to intensify the offensive action tempo against drug cartels as the yuletide season approaches, while maintaining a balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.
