The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide clampdown on illicit drug trafficking, seizing more than 300,000 pills of Exol-5 and other narcotic substances in a series of coordinated raids carried out in Ogun, Kaduna, Lagos, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Katsina and other states.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, revealed the details in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, noting that several suspects were arrested during the operations that disrupted multiple drug distribution networks across the country.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday apprehended a 29-year-old suspect at New Bussa, Niger State, with 150,000 pills of Exol-5, 800 ampoules of pentazocine injection, and 22,000 capsules of tramadol. In another sting operation at the Abuja-Kaduna toll gate, a 27-year-old suspect known as Farin Malam was arrested while transporting another 150,000 Exol-5 pills from Lagos to Katsina.
International Drug Smuggling Networks Uncovered
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 27,510 Rohypnol pills hidden inside sachets of alcoholic drinks bound for South Africa.
“After the initial arrest of a freight agent and a cab driver linked to the consignment, follow-up investigations led to the arrest of the mastermind, a 46-year-old man, at Oyingbo market in Lagos on October 2,” Babafemi disclosed.
He further explained that the same day, operatives arrested an Italy-based businessman attempting to smuggle 3,700 pills of tramadol (225mg) and 2,600 tablets of tapentadol (200mg) concealed in food items bound for Europe. The suspect allegedly confessed that he was trafficking the opioids for another person in exchange for a fee of 945 euros.
Major Raids Across States Yield More Seizures
The NDLEA also recorded major breakthroughs in several other states. In Edo State, a raid at Ugbekpe Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government Area led to the recovery of 47 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
In Osun State, two suspected traffickers aged 48 and 52 were arrested at Omifufun village in Ife South Local Government Area, following the discovery of 635 kilograms of skunk concealed in their Toyota Hiace bus. Two more suspects were also apprehended with 100 kilograms of skunk and a motorcycle used for transporting the drugs.
“Two other suspects, aged 20 and 25, were arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over the possession of 8.5 kilograms of skunk on Friday, October 10, while another 46-year-old was nabbed in Katsina after operatives found 29.5 kilograms of the same substance in his residence at Bayan Asibiti, Jibia town,” Babafemi said.
In Ondo State, a patrol team uncovered 312 kilograms of skunk hidden in a bush at Ologede camp, Ogbese. Similarly, officers on surveillance along the Benin-Lagos expressway intercepted 141.8 kilograms of skunk being transported by two suspects in a vehicle.
NDLEA Intensifies Drug Awareness Campaigns Nationwide
Okay News reports that the NDLEA has sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative through continuous sensitization campaigns in schools, worship centers, and workplaces across the nation.
During the past week, the agency conducted lectures for students and staff of several institutions including General Murtala Mohammed College in Yola, Adamawa State; Assembly of God Secondary School in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Community Girls Secondary School in Bakori, Katsina State; and Girls Secondary School in Nenwe, Enugu State.
Other participating schools included Day Secondary School in Tungan Mallam, Niger State; Sacred Heart Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi State; Ebenezer Model Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra State; and Government Secondary School, Borikiri, Rivers State. The campaign also reached Government Junior Secondary School, Wakili Bawa, in Ungoggo, Kano State, and Baptist High School, Ede, Osun State, among others.
NDLEA Boss Commends Officers’ Professionalism
The NDLEA Chairman, Retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, lauded the agency’s commands in Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, and Osun States for their professionalism, vigilance, and dedication in combating drug trafficking.
Marwa urged officers across the country to maintain their commitment and remain steadfast in the national fight against drug abuse and illegal trafficking.
“The success recorded in these operations is a reflection of our officers’ courage and precision. We will continue to pursue a balanced and effective approach to ensure the safety and health of our society,” he stated.
The NDLEA’s coordinated operations across Nigeria underscore its unrelenting efforts to curb the circulation of illicit substances, dismantle trafficking networks, and promote a drug-free nation through both enforcement and education.
