A 60-year-old grandmother and a pregnant woman were among those arrested during interdiction operations carried out
by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) across five states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the past week.
During operations, 5,527.15 kilograms of methamphetamine and cannabis Sativa, as well as 132,090 tablets of tramadol and 2,000 bottles of codeine, were recovered from the suspects.
This is contained in a report sighted on Sunday on the official Facebook page of the agency, signed by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi.
According to the report, the grandma, Mrs Ibinosun Sandra Esther was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state in a follow-up operation following the seizure of 5.5kg Loud variant of cannabis imported into the country from South Africa.
The consignment, which she claimed was sent to her by her daughter was concealed in two giant Speakers as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos on board an Airpeace Airline flight.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives also on Saturday 26th November intercepted 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
A cargo agent, Salako Omolara Fausat who brought the bag containing the illicit drug to the airport and an intending passenger to Brazil, Anyanwu Christian who was to travel with the consignment were promptly arrested.
“Another attempt by a freight agent, Adebisi Aina Hafsat to export 3,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts to Banjul, Gambia through the NAHCO export shed was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and arrested her on Monday 28th Nov.
“A follow-up operation to Ebute-Meta area of Lagos the following day, Tuesday 29th Nov led to the arrest of the actual owner, Afam Chibuke Stanley, who is a spare parts seller.
“This was followed by the seizure of 100,000 tablets of Royal brand of Tramadol 200mg with a gross weight of 68.90 kilograms imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Ethiopian Airlines at the SAHCO import shed.
“In Rivers state, operatives on Saturday 3rd Dec arrested a 29-year-old pregnant woman, Kate Ibinabo with 34.4kgs cannabis Sativa in Okrika area of the state,” the report said
The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig- Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), has however, directed, that she be granted administrative bail pending when she’s delivered of her baby.
“Thereafter she will be returned for her prosecution because at the time of her arrest, she was in her ninth month of pregnancy.
” In Ondo state, 241 bags of the psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3,133kg were recovered from a building at Ilale Cashew, Ehinogbe, Owo, on Tuesday 29th Nov.
“At least, 507.9kgs of cannabis were also seized during a raid at the hideout of a fleeing drug dealer in Mushin area of Lagos on Thursday 1st December.
In Cross River, 53 jumbo bags of C/S weighing 567.05kgs were seized from three suspects: Bassey Boniface Eyibio, 38; Effiong Akiba Etim, 30 and Ngbong Raymond, 45 at Mpara junction, Odukpani LGA on Thursday 1st December while conveying the consignment in a bus marked CKK 74 AA.
” Operatives equally arrested another suspect, Ali Mohammed on Potiskum- Damaturu road after they found 29,090 tablets of tramadol in his personal Honda car marked ABC 914 RW coming from Gombe to Damaturu, Yobe state,” Babafemi said in the report.
Marwa in his reaction, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Rivers, Ondo, Lagos, Cross River and Yobe Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures.
The NDLEA Chairman charged them and their counterparts across other formations to continue to step up their offensives against drug cartels.
