National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), war against illicit drugs in the country continued as the agency has seized 9.5 million tablets of pharmaceutical opioids: Tramadol and Exol 5 worth over N5 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Edo state.
This clampdown was carried out due to a collaborative effort between the NDLEA and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesman in a statement on Sunday said of the figure, 214 cartons of Tramadol 225 under 10 different brand names, which translate to 9,219,400 tablets weighing 6, 384.5kg, with an estimated street value of N4, 609, 700, 000 were transferred on Tuesday 29th March alongside 85 cartons of dried Khat leaves with a total weight of 1, 327.35kg by the Nigerian Customs to the MMIA Command of NDLEA as a symbol of the synergy between the two law enforcement agencies.
He said in Abuja, about 228,740 tablets and capsules of Tramadol and Exol 5 were intercepted on Friday, 1 April at the Abaji area of the FCT.
“The truck conveying the drugs was loaded in Lagos heading to Kano. Though the truck driver escaped into the bush during the search of the vehicle, two of his assistants; Usman Abdulmumini, 23, and Aminu Ahmad, 22, were arrested.
“In Oyo state, 17.6kg cannabis was transferred along with a suspect, Ramon Dauda, 40, to the state command of NDLEA by the Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigerian Customs Service, just as narcotic officers on patrol along Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Thursday 31st March intercepted a consignment of 10kg cannabis and 12.1grams of amphetamine in a commercial bus. A follow-up operation in Ilesa, Osun state led to the arrest of the owner of the drug exhibits, Mrs. Remi Aluko, 44,” he disclosed.
Babafemi added that three-drug joints were raided at Wire Road, Benin City, and Uromi town in Esan Central LGA where 188 pinches of Cocaine and Heroin were recovered with five suspects arrested.
“In another raid in Okada town, a patent medicine dealer, Harrison Odion was arrested with 70 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup; 9,638 Tramadol capsules; 16,843 tablets of Exol-5; 80 tablets of Diazepam and 62 ampules of Diazepam injection.
“In the same vein, operatives in the state destroyed seven clusters of dry season Cannabis Sativa farms in Okpuje Forest along the banks of River Ose totaling 3.124998 hectares,” he said.
