NDLEA raids Lagos drug hotspots, Akala, Idumota, seizes tons of narcotics

No fewer than 15 drug dealers, including two women have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, during sting operations at the notorious Akala drug hub in the Mushin area of Lagos and other areas in the state and across the country.

At Akala, 1,400kgs of cannabis sativa among other illicit substances such as heroin, methamphetamine, and 320 bottles of codeine syrup were seized during a raid of the area on Friday 9th December.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesman, who made this known in a statement, on Sunday, said another raid of the popular Idumota business district of Lagos Island on Saturday 10th December led to the seizure of 35,014 pills of tramadol, diazepam, rohypnol and 21.2 litres of codeine syrup while a targeted notorious dealer is still on the run.

“This is even as officers of the Directorate of Seaports Operations of the Agency arrested a Malian, Dembele Ousmane on Monday 5th December with 32,400 capsules of tramadol 225mg concealed in factory packed buckets of custard while attempting to travel to Mali via boat at Ebute -Ero Jetty in Lagos.

“In Ondo state, operatives on Tuesday 6th Dec. stormed sharp corner, Ipele forest in Owo area of the state where they arrested Rotimi Oyekan and Precious Aluju with C/S weighing 903.3kgs, while another team of NDLEA officers arrested Babatunde Oluyara at Igbotako area of the state, with 168.5kgs of the same substance; 6kgs of monkey tail and various quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

“In Kebbi state, two suspects: Austine Julius and Sale Yakubu were arrested on Sunday 4th December along Yawuri-Kebbi road in a loaded Dyna Truck with 117 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 1,070 kilograms concealed under bags of oranges. The following day, Monday 5th December, another set of two suspects: Abdullahi Bala and Ibrahim Wade were intercepted along Koko- Kebbi road in a Dyna Truck loaded with 114 bags of the same substance weighing 1,140 kilograms concealed under crates of soft drinks.

“A raid operation in Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State led to the arrest of a pregnant 30-year-old dealer, Aniekem Evelyn, with 1,161kgs of C/S recovered from her warehouse,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) CON, OFR, while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Seaports Operations, Ondo, Delta and Kebbi state commands for their hard work and diligence leading to the arrests and seizures of the past week, urged the operatives and their compatriots across other formations to intensify their efforts.