Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko Beach in Lekki area of Lagos.
The agency which confirmed this in a statement on Sunday said the boats were intercepted by operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA at 2:30am on Christmas eve, Tuesday, December 24, 2024.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi signed the statement.
He said six foreign nationals who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested during the operation.
According to him, the suspects include two Ghanaians: Godsway John, 38; and Freedom Kelvin, 33; as well as four Beninese: Chegoun Hounsou, 23; Gadabor Nyameto, 47; Adantg Sasa, 34; and Ayao Kayivi, 21.
In another development, Babafemi said operatives of the NDLEA also arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine.
The statement said the suspect was arrested while attempting to board an Air France flight 844 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA Abuja to Paris, France.
“Orizu was arrested at the boarding gate of the Abuja airport on Sunday 22nd December 2024 during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France.
“When he was pulled aside for body scan, he turned down the request claiming his medical condition won’t allow him.
“He was thereafter taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over a period of seven days.
“In his statement, Orizu claimed he owns a shop at Balogun market, Lagos Island where he sells school and travelling bags, adding that he was promised 3,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Paris.
“He left his base in Lagos for the Abuja airport to connect his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection,” Babafemi explained.
The statement said : In
Katsina, a suspect Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested in possession of 40 photo album-size parcels of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 35kg on Christmas day 25th December at Central Motor Park, Katsina, while another suspect Umar Ahmed, 47, was nabbed along Zaria-Malumfashi road, Katsina with 27 parcels of same psychoactive substance weighing 13.5kg on Saturday 28th December.
“A 21-year-old suspect Kosisochukwu Ozigbo was arrested at new Lagos road Benin City, Edo state when the area was raided on Monday 23rd December by NDLEA operatives.
“Recovered from the suspect include: 32,490 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg; 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup and various quantities of other opioids,” he said.
The statement explained that the various Commands of the NDLEA across the country also balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, (WADA) advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities during the week under review.
“Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered by Lagos State Strategic Command in collaboration with Menitos Foundation to residents of Akoka community at Ayetoro primary school, Akoka Bariga; while the Adamawa State command of NDLEA delivered same lecture to members of Jama’atul Nasril Islam during their annual first aid group and leadership camping in Adamawa among others,” Babafemi said.
In his reaction to the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig.- Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the efforts of the officers and men of NAIA, Katsina, Edo and Marine Commands of the Agency for job well done in the past week.
Marwa then tasked them and their compatriots nationwide not to rest on the achievements of 2024 but continue to raise the bar in their offensive action against drug barons and cartels with an equal measure of WADA sensitisation campaigns in the new year.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
