National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted substantial consignments of Ghanaian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis sativa, weighing 14,524.8 kilograms.
Gatekeepers News reports that Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy revealed this in a statement on Sunday 4th February 2024.
The illicit substance was smuggled into Lagos from Ghana in two trucks and a J5 bus.
Operatives tracked and intercepted the three vehicles at Ojuelegba area, resulting in the arrest of a 66-year-old driver, Nasiru Ojomu, affiliated with a wanted drug baron, Suleiman Jimoh (aka Olowo Idi Ogede or Temo).
In the last three years, NDLEA operatives have seized several shipments of same psychoactive substance worth billions of naira linked to Temo. The wanted drug lord has since gone into hiding while the Agency continues manhunt for him.
Additionally, in a separate operation, NDLEA operatives on routine patrol around a warehouse sealed at Church street, Idumota, Lagos by the Agency over an ongoing investigation on Thursday 1st February arrested three suspects: Joseph Joshua; Muhammed Adamu and Balarabe Musa who burgled the store and loaded 546,700 pills of tramadol and other opioids into a waiting yellow bus marked BDG 447 XD and an unregistered Suzuki minibus.
The NDLEA’s relentless efforts against drug trafficking also led to the arrest of a deaf and dumb suspect in Zaria, Kaduna state. At the time of his arrest, 150 grams of cannabis were recovered from him while selling the psychoactive substance.
Another individual, Ibrahim Sani, 56, was apprehended in possession of 51 kilograms of the same substance in Tirkaniya area.
Further operations resulted in the arrest of Emmanuel Paul in Abuja, transporting 43.5 kilograms of concealed cannabis in used shoes loaded in a trailer coming from Ogbese, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
In Katsina state, Murtala Isah, 35, was caught with 37,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids.
The NDLEA’s proactive measures extended to Kogi state, where a suspect named Samuel Atonila, 49, was arrested while the Agency destroyed 833.32 kilograms of cannabis on his two-acre farmland at Iluke community, Kabba-Bunu LGA.
In Nasarawa, three suspects—Muhammed Musa, Bilyaminu Musa, and Sadiya Ya’u—were apprehended with 24.4 kilograms of cannabis at Uke, Karu LGA. Furthermore, a bush store around Ikare bypass, Owo, Ondo state, yielded 258 kilograms of the same substance.
The NDLEA’s commitment to combating drug abuse is evident through sensitization lectures conducted across various states. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the efforts and urged all formations to maintain vigilance in addressing both drug supply reduction and demand reduction.
