By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos.
Attempt by a drug peddler to export 20 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 10.70 kilograms concealed in African salad popularly called Abacha and dried vegetables to Doha, Qatar through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos State has been busted my operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), New Nigerian Newspapers has learnt.
Similarly, move by another drug dealer to compromise officers of the agency with a bribe of ₦5 million cash was rebuffed while the money was documented as part of exhibits to prosecute the suspects in court.
The Director Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi made the disclosure in a statement issued today.
He said, the Qatar bound drug peddler identified as a 35-year-old lady, Chidinma Chinenye Agbazue was apprehended by NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport working in partnership with men of the Department of State Security (DSS) had on Thursday March 28, while boarding from Lagos to Doha, on Qatar Airways during clearance of passengers at the screening point of terminal 11 of the MMIA.
According to Babafemi, preliminary investigation revealed that Chidinma was based in Qatar, but returned to Nigeria last December for Christmas celebration.
He explained that, Chidima, preparatory to her return to Doha, was lodged at Club Dice Hotel in Ikotun area of Lagos, where the consignment was handed over to her for trafficking to the Arab country.
On the drug dealer who attempted to bribe operatives with N5 million, the NDLEA spokesperson hinted that the suspects named Monday Okeke and Chigozie Emeka were on Tuesday March 26, arrested by NDLEA operatives in Oniwaya, Yaba and Agege area of Lagos, where they recovered from them 842,560 pills of opioids especially tramadol in addition to 15 litres of codeine syrup and 596 grams of Molly.
He said attempt by Okeke to bribe the NDLEA officers with ₦5 million cash was rebuffed while the money was documented as part of exhibits to prosecute the suspects in court.
Babafemi who also disclosed other achievements recorded by the agency, said, ” In Bayelsa, the bid by three suspects: Ebuka Eze, 31; Ugochukwu Okoro, 44; and Kingsley Uzim, 27, to smuggle opioids including codeine, molly, tramadol and diazepam weighing a total of 73.425 kilograms to the creeks in Southern Ijaw area of the state was thwarted on Wednesday March 27, by NDLEA operatives at Swali jetty, Yenagoa where Ebuka and Ugochukwu were arrested while Uzim was nabbed at Amasoma in a follow up operation.
” The drugs were concealed in jumbo sacks and conveyed to the jetty in a tricycle.
“While two suspects: Eniola Muyideen and Bankole Shuaib were arrested with 137 blocks of cannabis weighing 71kg during a raid at Orile Imo, Ogun state on Friday 29th March, NDLEA operatives in Taraba recovered 39,980 pills of tramadol from a suspect, Abubakar Mohammed, 33, in Lankaviri village, and another suspect, Apaji Vincent, 29, arrested in Wukari on Thursday 28th March with 131kg cannabis sativa”, Babafemi stated.
Similarly, in Abia state, Nwachukwuu Chinedu, 28, was arrested on Friday 29th March at Akara Ahuba, Isikwuato LGA by NDLEA officers.
“Recovered from him include 46.65kg cannabis and different quantities of tramadol, methamphetamine and rohypnol as well as N71,500 monetary exhibit.
“At least, 127.5kg cannabis loaded in a Volkswagen Vento saloon car marked NTT 215 AA was recovered along Isua/Kabba road, Idoani area of Ose LGA, Ondo State, while a 30-year-old female suspect, Chinasa Christopher was arrested with 400 bottles of codeine syrup in Sabon Gari area of Kano.
“The owner of a consignment of illicit drugs intercepted along Zaria-Kano road, Bakura Goni was arrested at Mile 2 market in Lagos on Tuesday 26th March in a follow up operation and flown to Kano to face charges. The consignment consisting of cannabis and tramadol weighing 73.8kg was earlier seized in a truck conveying it from Lagos to Kano.
“While 278kg of cannabis going to Idoani in Ondo state was recovered during a raid at Oloma-Okpe forest, Akoko-Edo LGA, Edo State, not less than 3,065.255kg of the same psychoactive substance was razed on two farms at Amahor waterside forest in Igueben area of the state where three suspects: James Thankgod; Wisdom James and Akpa Festus were arrested on Thursday 28th March.
“In the same vein, Commands across the country intensified their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy lectures in the past week. These include: Sensitisation lectures for students of Federal University of Technology, Ihiagwa, Owerri, Imo; students and teachers of Community Secondary School, Eyo-Abasi, Oron, Akwa Ibom; students and teachers of Oke Iragbiji Grammar School, Osun; commercial motorcycle riders in Oye Ekiti, Ekiti state; commercial motorcycle riders at Ankpa, Kogi state and Muslim faithful at Aliade Central Mosque, Aliade, Benue state”, Babafemi revealed.
While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Edo, Ogun, Kano, Abia, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Taraba Commands of the Agency for their balanced efforts in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded their counterparts across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lecture.
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