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On Saturday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) made a significant seizure of illicit drugs valued in the multi-billion naira range. The operation took place at a warehouse discreetly located within the bustling International Trade Fair Complex in Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos.
This information was revealed in an official statement issued by NDLEA’s media officer, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
According to Babafemi, a significant quantity of illicit substances was seized, including 1.4 million (1,400,000) pills of tramadol 225mg, weighing 826kgs; 3.2 million (3,200,000) pills of codeine, with a total weight of 3,360kgs; and 2,841 cartons of codeine syrup, containing 284,100 bottles equating to 28,410 liters of the psychoactive substance. The combined estimated street value of these seized substances is Four Billion Eight Hundred and Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,820,500,000).
These items were discovered in a warehouse owned by a wanted billionaire drug trafficker. During the operation, which spanned several hours, a suspect named Paulinus Ojukwu was apprehended. Ojukwu holds the position of Chief Security Officer for the aforementioned wanted drug trafficker, who masquerades as an automobile spare parts dealer. Ojukwu is currently in custody, assisting with the ongoing investigation.
This recent crackdown on drug-related activities follows the recent arrest of another major figure in the drug trade, Faith Ebele Nwankwo. Nwankwo, a drug baroness, was apprehended on August 9th, with a seizure of Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (2,750,000) pills of tramaking, a type of tramadol available in both 225mg and 250mg variants. These pills were found at her residence located at House 6, C Close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos. Additionally, a warehouse situated at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos was also discovered to contain illicit substances.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Friday 18th August intercepted Twenty Million US Dollar notes ($20 million) suspected to be counterfeit during a stop and search operation along Abaji – Lokoja Road, within the Federal Capital Territory.
The suspected fake money was recovered from a bus coming from Lagos to Abuja, while the 53-year-old driver of the vehicle, Onyebuchi Nlededin was arrested.
On Thursday, August 17th, the NDLEA announced the arrest of Jude Ndubuisi, 52, who was apprehended with 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine during a raid operation in Kabusa village, FCT.
The suspect had been previously taken into custody on July 7th, 2022, with 20.75 kilograms of cannabis. He was on court bail, undergoing prosecution, when he was apprehended once again for another drug-related offense.
Further operations targeting two well-known drug hubs in the FCT, namely Dei Dei and Tora-Bora Hills, resulted in the confiscation of 82.8 kilograms of skunk, 1.8 kilograms of rohypnol, and 1.2 kilograms of diazepam on Wednesday, August 16th.
In Osun, during the early hours of Saturday, NDLEA operatives took action to dismantle clusters of cannabis farms spanning approximately 3.49000 hectares (equivalent to over 7.5 tons) in Mopatedo, within the Ifedayo local government area of the State.
Two individuals, Sunday Otogbo (40) and Peter Andel Makra (35), were apprehended within the confines of cannabis farms. Subsequently, law enforcement discovered an additional haul of 30kg of cannabis weeds and 16.9kg of cannabis seeds within these premises.
In a separate incident, a minimum of three suspects were detained in relation to the confiscation of a 168kg cannabis consignment. The individuals were identified as Ndubuisi Okorie (44), Ebilima Emmanuel (38), and Okechukwu Anthony Smart (40). Their vehicle was intercepted along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway in Imo state on Saturday, August 19th. An ensuing operation on the same road on Sunday, August 13th led to the seizure of another shipment comprising 6,000 capsules of tramadol, 1,200 tablets of swinol, 155 bottles of codeine syrup, and 20 tabs of Molly. Additionally, a subsequent operation in the Oyigbo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state resulted in the apprehension of the consignment’s owner, Remigius Ogechukwu (33).
Simultaneously, a teenager named Boniface Odinakachukwu (19) was captured in possession of 99.4kg of skunk at Isikwe Road in Achi, Oji-River LGA, Enugu state on Friday, August 18th. In a related incident, a wanted teenage bandit, Aliyu Mohammed Altine (19), was arrested by NDLEA operatives along the Illela-Sokoto road on Thursday, August 17th. The suspect, who was on the police’s wanted list, has been transferred to the Sokoto state police for further investigation.
Praising the professionalism exhibited by officers and personnel involved in operations conducted across Lagos, FCT, Sokoto, Osun, Imo, and Enugu, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), called upon the operatives of the Lagos command to ensure the apprehension of the fugitive drug lord to answer for their actions. He encouraged them, as well as their colleagues nationwide, to intensify efforts against drug cartels.
