By Ogochukwu Isioma
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted two imported consignments of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 5,344.1 kilograms along the Epe-Lekki corridor and at the Alfa beach, Lekki area of Lagos state.
This is contained in a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.
He said based on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives laid ambush for a white truck conveying 50 jumbo bags of the illicit substance weighing 2, 434.1kg along the Epe-Lekki expressway in the early hours of Monday 19th June.
“The truck driver however jumped out of the vehicle and escaped in a security hilux van escorting the truck, after the anti-narcotics officers successfully demobilized the truck conveying the drug exhibits,” the statement noted.
In the same vein, officers of the Marine Command of the NDLEA the following day, Tuesday 20th June also acting on intelligence intercepted a boat loaded with the same imported substance weighing 2,910kg around Alfa Beach upon arrival from Ghana.
“Two Ghanaians: Monday Saba, 30, and Hakeem Kwana, 27, found with the consignments were promptly arrested,” the NDLEA noted.
In Niger state, two suspects: Abubakar Mohammed, 32, and Nuhu Sale, 43, were arrested on Sunday 18th June along Abuja expressway, Suleja with 31 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 517kg, while a 30-year-old Amina Alilu was arrested with 171kg of the substance on Wednesday 21st June at Ogbogodo village, Dekina LGA, Kogi state.
A suspected fake female security agent, Ogedegbe Dorcas, 34, was also nabbed at Ajegunle Asa Dam Area of Ilorin, Kwara State with 30kg of cannabis on Thursday 22nd June, while in Oyo state, NDLEA operatives intercepted 42-year-old Segun Olajide with 49.2kg of same substance on Saturday 24th June in Oyo town.
Operatives in Edo state stormed Ekudo forest, Uhunmwode LGA where they destroyed a cannabis farm measuring 2.494863 hectares, recovered processed weeds weighing 67kg and arrested six suspects namely: Onyeka Onyedinma; Monday Onyedi; Alex Eboh; Edosa Imariagbe; Godbless Tunde and Godstime Osarobo in the early hours of Monday 19th June.
While commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Edo and Marine Commands for blocking over five tons of illicit substances from going into circulation in the country in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their compatriots across other formations to remain committed to the corporate goal of ridding Nigeria of the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
