Monday, September 1, 2025 - The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested several suspects and intercepted large consignments of illicit substances concealed in petrol tankers, refrigerators, animal feed sacks, and other items across different states.
Among those arrested was a 75-year-old grandfather, Uchelue
Ikechukwu, who was caught with 26.7kg of skunk at Umudioka, Dunukofia Local
Government Area of Anambra State on Thursday.
Five others were also apprehended, according to a statement
by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in various parts of the state with
quantities of opioids and skunk.
At the Abuja-Kaduna tollgate, Babafemi said operatives
intercepted 104,900 capsules of tramadol hidden in the driver’s compartment of
a petrol tanker believed to be headed to insurgents in Borno State.
The driver, Hassan Buba, he said, was arrested, adding that
another suspect, Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was caught with 34.1kg of skunk at the
Gwargwaje-Zaria checkpoint.
“No fewer than 104,900 capsules of tramadol concealed in the
driver compartment of a fuel tanker, suspected to be an illicit consignment
going to insurgents in parts of Borno state, were intercepted by the NDLEA
operatives at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate in Kaduna on Friday, August 29, while a
suspect, Hassan Buba, was immediately taken into custody.
“Another suspect, Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was nabbed with
34.150kg skunk by the NDLEA officers at Gwargwaje – Zaria checkpoint on
Saturday, August 30. Following intelligence and surveillance, the NDLEA
operatives in an interdiction operation on Saturday arrested a major supplier
of illicit opioids in Borno State, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh, shortly after he
received his supplies from Onitsha, Anambra State.”
In Nasarawa State, Babafemi said two suspects were
apprehended in separate operations with a combined 109,450 pills of tramadol
and Rohypnol, along with 38 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in a
deep freezer transported from Delta State.
Similarly, in Adamawa State, he said Mohammed Ali, 23,
was arrested after 15,000 tramadol capsules concealed in animal feed sacks were
intercepted, while 58kg of skunk hidden in sacks of pepper was seized in Yola.
“In Nasarawa State, the NDLEA operatives on Thursday, August
28, arrested a suspect, Abubakar Dauda, 36, with 79,040 pills of tramadol and
diazepam at Abacha park, Mararaba Karu. This followed the arrest of Babangida
Tungura, 47, in Lafia, with 30,410 pills of tramadol and Rohypnol as well as 38
bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in a deep freezer from Asaba,
Delta State, on Tuesday, August 26.
“A 23-year-old suspect, Mohammed Ali, was, on Wednesday,
August 27, arrested in a follow-up operation at Ngorore, Adamawa State,
following the interception of his way-billed consignment of 15,000 capsules of
tramadol concealed in sacks of animal feed at the Gombe mega park.”
In Adamawa State, he said a 58kg of skunk hidden in sacks of
pepper was seized in Yola.
“A suspect, Hamisu Abdullahi, was arrested on Monday, August
25, in a follow-up operation in Yola, Adamawa State, after the NDLEA operatives
on patrol along Mararraba Lamurde intercepted a Golf saloon car marked GME 253
HP driven by Sani Suleiman and coming from Gombe State loaded with sacks of
pepper, used to conceal 79 blocks of skunk weighing 58kg belonging to Hamisu,”
he said.
In Taraba State, he said operatives supported by personnel
of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard,
and local vigilantes destroyed 178,750kg of cannabis cultivated on a
71.5-hectare farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna LGA.
Babafemi added that a suspect, Alfa Andrew, 30, was arrested
with a Dane gun at the site.
Babafemi also said the NDLEA operatives in Borno arrested
33-year-old Uchenna Umeh, a major supplier of opioids, recovering 30,640 pills
of tramadol 225mg, 7,940 tablets of Rohypnol, and cash of N7.9m in N200 new
notes from his apartment.
In Ekiti State, Babafemi said a raid on a residence in
Ado-Ekiti led to the seizure of 5.3kg of Loud and Colorado, two strong strains
of cannabis, along with methamphetamine.
“In what appears to be the single largest seizure of Loud
and Colorado, two strong strains of cannabis, in Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives
acting on credible intelligence on Friday, August 29 raided Nova Street, behind
New Creation School, Ado-Ekiti where 5.3 kilograms of Loud and Colorado as well
as 2.5grams of Methamphetamine were seized from a 42-year-old drug kingpin
Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu (a.k.a Atiku),” he said.
In Kano, multiple seizures were made, including 250,000
tablets of Exol-5 from a 25-year-old suspect, Alhasaan Musa, and 25.7kg of
skunk with 8,080 bottles of new psychoactive substances from two other suspects
along the Zaria-Kano road.
In Edo State, he said NDLEA officers recovered 64,250 pills
of opioids from a commercial bus along the Ewu-Auchi road, while in Ondo,
117.5kg of processed cannabis was seized from suspects at Queen Elizabeth
Aponmun Reserved Camp.
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