Four members of a trans-border drug trafficking syndicate operating in multiple states were apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during intelligence-led operations that recovered tramadol pills worth millions of naira that were hidden in the bumper and false bottom of Sienna buses traveling to border towns.
“After weeks of intelligence and surveillance operations by NDLEA Directorate of Intelligence operatives, a Sienna bus marked ABJ 452 HG was intercepted at Nasarawa-Toto road, Keffi, Nasarawa state on Tuesday, January 27, 2025, at 6 am,” stated agency spokesman Femi Babafemi.
“In the car traveling from Onitsha, Anambra state, to Yola, Adamawa state, two suspects, Zahradeen Adamu, 27, and Abubakar Usman, 44, were taken into custody. “Abba Usman, 48, was the driver of a second Sienna bus that was also intercepted
Following the removal of the rear bumper, specially built steel compartments were found during a search of the two cars. These compartments were intended to hold the vehicles’ spare tires and contained 190,960 tramadol pills.
“The seized tramadol consignment was supplied by Kingsley Mbaeri, a dealer based in Onitsha, Anambra state, according to investigations. “Mbaeri was arrested on January 29 at his residence on Uga Street in Onitsha as a result of a prompt follow-up operation.
Two automobiles were found at his residence: a Toyota Sienna bus with the license plate GWA 23 HH and a Toyota Corolla automobile with the license plate FGG 948 MF.
“In a separate interdiction, on February 4, Intelligence Department agents stopped a commercial bus traveling from Onitsha, Anambra State, at the Abaji checkpoint in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.”Chimezie Henry Ojingwa, 32, was caught as a bus passenger who was carrying motor spare parts in a black bag.
“When his bag was searched, 404.47grams of methamphetamine; 506.49grams of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, and 262.32grams of dimethyl sulfone, a precursor substance for mixing meth, all of which were concealed in the motor parts were recovered.
“On Thursday, February 13, NDLEA operatives patrolling Ogoja-Abakaliki Road in Yahe, Cross River State, stopped a truck driven by Paul Chukwudi, 31, carrying 170,000 tramadol pills.
“On Tuesday, February 11, operations at Lagos’ Apapa seaport retrieved 85,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup from an Indian-imported container. “On Friday, February 14, two suspects, Halilu Isa and Gambo Umaru, were apprehended along Bama Road, Maiduguri, Borno state, with sixty compressed blocks of skunk and a 72-kg strain of cannabis. On Tuesday, February 11, NDLEA agents searched in Ekiti state.
Three suspects were taken into custody at an infamous drug club on Iloda Street in Ikole-Ekiti: Abdullahi Shehu, 30, Yahaya Adamu, 55, and Bala Muhammad, 57. The skunk that was recovered from them weighed 83 kg.
Samiat Olabisi Yussuf, 28, was taken into custody by police on Saturday, February 15, when they raided her Lekki residence and found 111 grams of Loud and 169.5 liters of nitrous oxide, also referred to as laughing gas.
“In Taraba, a total of 132.84 kilograms of skunk were found on two suspects: Solomon James, 40, and Ibrahim Usman, 40.”James was caught at Takanawa, Sabon Gari, in Jalingo LGA, with 44.84 kg of Arizona and Ghana Loud, while Usman was apprehended at Wukari with 88 kg of the same material.
Over the previous week, NDLEA Commands nationwide carried on with their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures, and advocacy visits to places of worship, schools, businesses, traditional rulers’ palaces, and communities.
Examples include a talk on WADA sensitization given to Government Technical College employees and students in Oku, Akwa Ibom.
Others may be found at Jesuit College in Agbado Ekiti, Ekiti state; Future Leaders Academy in Kishi, Oyo state; Government Secondary School in Bashir, Sokoto; Where Comprehensive School in Ogbor Hill, Abia; and Government Day Secondary School in Taura, Jigawa state.
Additionally, the Markaz Umar Bin Khattab Center in Kano hosted a WADA enlightenment lecture for married women in purdah, which was organized by the Kano State Command of the NDLEA.
The officers and men of the Agency’s Directorate of Intelligence, Apapa, Cross River, Borno, Ekiti, Taraba, and Lagos Commands were complimented by NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) for the arrests and seizures that occurred over the previous week.
Additionally, he commended their countrymen in every command for stepping up the WADA advocacy and enlightenment lectures in every region within their purview.
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