NDLEA intercepts 2.3m tabs of opioids going to 7 northern states

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 2.3m tablets of illicit pharmaceutical opioids and other psychoactive substances meant for distribution in seven northern states which are; Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe and Nasarawa. The spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that the interceptions were […]

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 2.3m tablets of illicit pharmaceutical opioids and other psychoactive substances meant for distribution in seven northern states which are; Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe and Nasarawa.

The spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that the interceptions were achieved in a series of interdiction operations in the past week.

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According to him, in all, a total of two million three hundred and twenty-five thousand five hundred and fifty-three (2, 325, 553.00) tablets and capsules of Tramadol, Pregabalin, Hypnox, Diazepam and Exol-5 including 7, 353 bottles of a new psychoactive substance locally called Akuskura meant for the seven states were seized.

He also listed the locations of the seizures as Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and the FCT.

Babafemi said, “In Kaduna, a drug dealer Umar Sanusi, was arrested on Friday 12th August during a follow-up operation in Kano and brought back to Kaduna where his consignment of 50 cartons of pregabalin 300mg, containing 750,000 capsules, weighing 375kgs earlier seized along Abuja-Kaduna expressway was counted and weighed in his presence.

“Same day, operatives also intercepted along Abuja-Kaduna express road 7,068 bottles of a new dangerous substance of abuse called Akuskura meant for Kaduna, Zamfara, Gombe, Kano and Borno states.”

The recipients in Kaduna and Zamfara states were arrested during follow-up operations.

On Saturday 13th August, 285 bottles of the NPS were recovered from a dealer, Abubakar Ahmad, along the same highway.

In Kogi State, no fewer than 696,000 tablets of Tramadol and Exol-5 among others loaded into a truck at Onitsha, Anambra State and heading to Maiduguri, Borno State, were seized along the Okene-Abuja expressway on Friday 19th August, while NDLEA operatives also recovered 300,000 tablets of Diazepam from a suspect, Faruku Bello, 30, in Sokoto State on Wednesday 17th August.

Meanwhile, anti-narcotic officers of the NDLEA in Abuja FCT equally at the weekend intercepted a bus loaded with 323, 200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and others at Onitsha, Anambra State heading to Nasarawa State.

The driver of the vehicle, Osita Nwobodo, 45, who made fruitless bids to compromise the operatives is now in custody.

A major importer of the ‘Loud’ variant of cannabis from the United States, Abibu Afis Sola and a 63-year-old grandfather who ships illicit substances to his daughter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among those arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.

Abibu was arrested in connection with a 19.30kg Colorado consignment from Los Angeles, USA, which was intercepted on 30th June at the NAHCO cargo import shed of the Lagos airport.

While Abibu was still being interviewed in custody, a 37.1kg consignment of Loud intercepted on 7th July was also traced to him.

Also, a freight agent, Miss Njoko Elizabeth, 37, was arrested for attempting to export 250grams of Tramadol and cannabis to Dubai through the NAHCO export shed.

The drug exhibits were concealed inside some gallons of palm oil and honey, which were packed among food items and hair attachments.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and FCT Commands as well as DOGI for the arrests and seizures.

He also urged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.