On September 7, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported that its operatives had recovered 399 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) while intercepting one Asana Oluwagbenga Leke, a 39-year-old suspect, along the Mokwa-Jebba road.
The IEDs were reportedly destined for Kaduna State. According to the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the suspect claimed that he had been given the explosives at a park in Ibadan with instructions to deliver them to someone in Kaduna.
The NDLEA transferred both the suspect and the seized explosives to military authorities in Niger State for further investigation and action.
Additionally, in Ogun State, a follow-up operation was conducted after the seizure of 41 kilograms of cannabis from Titilayo Adetayo at Sagumu Interchange on September 4. This operation led to the arrest of Yinka Azeez in Sabo Lafenwa, Abeokuta, on September 5.
Furthermore, two suspects, Muhammad Aliyu (38) and Abdullahi Zakariya (40), were apprehended on Zaria-Kano Road and Haye Arewa, Hotoro, Kano, respectively. They were arrested in connection with the seizure of 426.5 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, September 5.
These incidents highlight the efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat illegal activities such as the transportation of explosives and drug trafficking in various regions of Nigeria.
“While Onyeka Uzor, 25, was arrested at Idemili, Anambra State, with 64.8kgs skunk and tramadol, another suspect, Destiny Irabor was nabbed on Friday 8th September with over 180kgs of opioids loaded in his Toyota Sienna bus.
“In Kaduna, two suspects: Ahmed Yusuf and Rilwan Nura were arrested on Wednesday 6th September in connection with the seizure of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs along Abuja road.
“In Edo state, operatives stormed the Ekudo forest, Onwude LGA where they destroyed cannabis farms measuring 4.236347 hectares,” he said.
He added that operatives on Thursday, September 7, raided the house of one Amuodu Egwehide, 40, in Iloje Okpuje, Owan West LGA, where they recovered 22 bags of skunk weighing 261.4kgs, while a 60-year-old grandma, Mrs. Eunice Egwehide was arrested in the town the same day with 17kgs of the same substance seized from her.
The statement also revealed that operatives of the NDLEA intercepted consignments of skunk concealed in tins of tomato paste and methamphetamine hidden in used clothes, meant for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, UAE.
It said: “While the skunk in tomato pastes consignment weighing 20.00 kilograms was intercepted on Friday 8th September at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, the meth shipment with a gross weight of 1.60kg was seized at a courier company in Lagos.
“Another consignment of 556 grams of Canadian Loud sent from Canada to one Tunji Adebayo in Ikorodu, Lagos was also intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier firms. Though Adebayo was not home when operatives visited his house at 52, Aina Atoloye Street, Ikorodu, he directed his younger brother to sign for the package on his behalf. The brother was promptly arrested.
“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Monday 4th September raided the enclave of a notorious drug lord in Akala, Mushin, Lagos, Abdul Rauf (aka ‘Na God’) where 1,101kgs of Ghanaian Loud were recovered and three suspects arrested while the wanted kingpin remains at large.
“In Kogi, 22-year-old Agada Emmanuel was arrested with 77.400kgs cannabis on Thursday 7th September along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway while a total of 369,980 pills of opioids were also recovered on the same road on Monday 4th September and the suspect linked to the seizure, Kabiru Ahmad Abdullahi, arrested in a follow-up operation in Gombe State.
“A suspect, Gapchiya Modu, 26, was arrested with 60kgs of cannabis along Kano-Nguru Road, Nguru, Yobe state, while in Imo State, 200 blocks of the same substance weighing 57kgs were recovered from Usim Orji, 45, along Aba-Owerri road on Wednesday 6th September.
“After over two months of surveillance, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 6th September arrested a wanted kingpin, Idoko Festus Ifesinachi, 40, linked to the importation of 76.9kgs Canadian Loud intercepted in a container marked MSDU6686346 at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state on 2nd June. He was arrested at his hideout in Lagos and taken to Port Harcourt…”
