Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have seized over 44,948.1kg of illicit drugs and arrested eight suspects in multiple raids across Lagos, Edo and Ondo states.

The anti-narcotics agency also seized 11 vehicles owned by the drug cartels.

This was revealed by the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday.

The statement noted that “no less than 14,310.8625 kg of psychoactive substance was razed on 5.7 hectares of farms in Ohosu/Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West Local Government Area, Edo State on Tuesday, March 19.”

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Five suspects including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44, were arrested.

It added that 7, 687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest, Akure, Ondo State with another 670kg evacuated, on Saturday, March 23.

The statement read in parts, “In another operation in Uzebba/Avbiosi forest on Thursday, March 21, over 6,500kg cannabis was destroyed on 2.6 hectares of farms where three suspects: Kabiru Idris, 36;

“Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested. In the same vein, 5,000kg of same substance was razed in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA by NDLEA operatives with support from the military on Friday 22nd March.”

The agency stated that in a well-coordinated operation on Wednesday, March 20, in Lagos State, its operatives seized “10,534 kg (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis in Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel.

“The recovered vehicles include: Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE; Toyota sienna marked AAA 338 GL; Toyota sienna marked AAA 308 EP; Toyota Sienna marked FKJ 381 JC; Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG; Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT; an unmarked Iveco J5 bus; Toyota sienna marked LSD 744 GP; Toyota highlander SUV marked KTU 280 FN; Toyota sienna marked AAA 333 GH and Toyota sienna marked FKJ 208 HV.”

Babafemi noted that “in another raid at Ago Palace way area of the state on Friday March 22, a suspect, Miracle Obi, was arrested with 1,006 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 50 tablets of tramadol 225mg; 89 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,360 ampoules of Diazepam injection. Another suspect, Kareem Mustapha was earlier on Tuesday, March 19, nabbed along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with 25,000 pills of tramadol and 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

“While 58kg cannabis was recovered at Jagindi village, Kafanchan LGA, Kaduna State on Friday, March 22, Abdulqadir Muhammad, 34, was arrested with 45 kilogrammes of same substance by NDLEA operatives along Kaduna- Zaria Expressway.

“In Borno State, Salisu Yusuf, 20, was nabbed with 30kg Arizona, a strain of cannabis at the Njimtilo checkpoint on Saturday 23rd March, while another suspect, Rabiu Husseini, 27, was arrested with 34kg cannabis along Gwagwalada/Abuja highway on his way from Lagos to Katsina state on Wednesday 21st March. The following day, 22nd March, NDLEA officers on patrol along Gashua-Baymari road, Busari LGA, Yobe state arrested Haladu Hassan with 160 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 50kg.”

In Kano State, the agency “successfully dismantled” a syndicate dealing in cocaine and heroin “with the arrest of 42-year-old Onyeka Uba in the Sabon Gari area of Kano where 1.805 kilograms and 7grams of the illicit substances were recovered from him on Monday 18th March. Another suspect, Ubale Sani, 49, was arrested with 51.5kg of cannabis in the Chiromawa area of Kano.

“Operatives of a special operation unit of NDLEA also disrupted criminal activities of another cocaine syndicate in Abuja at the weekend with the arrest of three leaders of the group. While Nnajiofor Celestine Kenechukwu, 41, and Okoro Chigozie Christian, 35, were arrested.”

The statement further read, “On Friday 22nd March at Paint House Hotel, Umar Garba Benna Street, 21 Road, First Avenue, Gwarimpa Abuja with 718 grams of cocaine, a follow-up operation at the residence of Okoro Chigozie at House 30, 69B Road 6th Avenue Gwarimpa, led to the recovery of 19 blocks of Arizona, a strain of cannabis weighing 9.823kg and monetary exhibits: N545,500 and $250, as well as property documents. Two vehicles: a Toyota Camry 2007 marked BWR 94 BM and a Toyota Camry 2012 marked RBC 154 BS were also recovered from them.

“Another follow-up operation to the residence of Nnajiofor Celestine Kenechukwu at 49 Mercy Orjiakor Street, Becky Estate 11, Karu, Nasarawa state on Saturday 23rd March also led to the recovery of various quantities of Arizona and methamphetamine while his girlfriend and accomplice, Ifemenam Oge was arrested.”

Babafemi added that “various commands of the agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week.”

“While commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Kano, Borno, Kaduna, and FCT Commands as well as the Special Operations unit of the Agency for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures in schools, markets, motor parks, worship centres and workplaces,” the statement concluded.