Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an Italy-bound physically challenged man, Ehiarimwiam Osaromo Emmanuel, at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for alleged drug trafficking.
As contained in a release by NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi, Ehiarimwiam (53) was arrested last Sunday on his way to Italy, via Doha, on a Qatar Airways flight.
“An indigene of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, he was found to have concealed 5,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg in his luggage.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect is a frequent traveller who often travels with lots of bags containing mainly food items, body cream, hair attachment and drinks.
“The suspect was said to have presented his usual large consignment to NDLEA operatives for search but held on to some packages which were retrieved from him and properly searched during which the drugs were discovered,” it was stated in the release.
In another development, NDLEA operatives, on Monday, raided a suspected clandestine laboratory at Opic Estate, Agbara, Lagos.
The NDLEA said the raid was part of ongoing efforts to demobilise and dismantle all organised criminal groups behind the production and distribution of crystal methamphetamine across the country.
“Clues from the property led operatives to another in the vicinity where one Peter James was arrested with some quantity of the substance.
“A follow up operation within the estate also led to the arrest of a meth dealer, Mathew Bobby Imonitie, who was caught with 4.033kilograms of the illicit substance,” it was stated.
Also, on Saturday, 27 August, one suspect, Kingsley Duru, was arrested following a raid on a rented apartment in Raji Rasaki First Estate in Festac Town, Lagos which led to the seizure of 412,780 tablets of Tramadol.
“In the same vein, troops of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army have handed over to the Lagos Command of NDLEA 792 blocks of cannabis sativa smuggled from the Volta Region of Ghana into Ogun State but intercepted at a checkpoint along the Ilaro-Benin Republic Border.
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives, on Thursday, 1 September, intercepted a truck conveying animal feeds from Lagos to Kaduna.
Found on the truck were 449 compressed blocks and 111 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,531kg and belonging to a dealer in Zaria.
As stated by the NDLEA spokesperson, the drug consignment was said to have been loaded into the truck in Akure, Ondo State.
The truck driver, Yahaya Sani, his assistant Samaila Rabiu, his motor boy, Bilal Ibrahim, representative of the cannabis owner, Awolu Isyaku and a passenger, Mustapha Abdulrahman, were all arrested.
NDLEA operatives intercepted, at Ahmadu-Kafi area of Gombe in Gombe State, 811,000 tablets of Tramadol, Diazepam and Exol 5 weighing 150kg in a vehicle loaded in Onitsha.
“In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives, combing the Ala Forest in Akure North Local Government Area, for a drug lord have intercepted eight suspected bandits terrorising farmers in the area.
“Those arrested include Austin Dickson (47/, who is the gang leader; Sunday Adekunle (31); Kayode Oluwaseun (29); Kolawole Kazeem (33); Oladimeji Makinde (37); Emeka Charles (46); Ojo Oluwadare (40); and Lanre Oluwajana (44).
“The arrested suspected bandits were nabbed on Friday, 2 September, 2022.
“Recovered from them include 25 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 296kgs; six explosive devices; six cartridges; four motorcycles and assorted charms used in terrorising farmers in the forest.
In Sokoto, NDLEA operatives, on Saturday, 3 September intercepted a commercial bus from which two five CD loader players were recovered along Sokoto-Bodinga Road.
“Upon search, 5.5kgs of cannabis were discovered inside the CD players and the owner, Nasiru Ibrahim arrested while in another bus, a suspected bandit Sani Ibrahim, 37, was arrested with some ammunition and cannabis sativa along Kware Road.
“An Abuja businesswoman, Onyinye Nwoke, 38, has been arrested following an intelligence-led raid at her residence, House 56 Aldenco Estate, Galadimawa.
“Operatives uprooted fresh stems of cannabis plants grown at the backyard of the house. The uprooted plants weighed 18.4kgs while 800grams of cannabis seeds were also recovered from the house,” it was stated in the release.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Niger, Sokoto, Ondo, FCT and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures.
He charged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify the heat on drug cartels in Nigeria while balancing their efforts on supply reduction with drug demand reduction activities.
