A stop-and-search operation by operatives of the NDLEA on the Lokoja-Abaji (FCT) highway has yielded fake $20 million.

The spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday in Abuja that the fake currencies were recovered from a bus travelling from Lagos and heading to Abuja.

He stated that the 53-year-old driver of the vehicle, Onyebuchi Nlededin, was arrested.

Mr Babafemi also stated that one Jude Ndubuisi (52) was arrested in a raid on August 17 while in possession of 2.2kg of methamphetamine at Kabusa village, FCT.

He said the suspect was earlier arrested on July 7, 2022, for having 20.75kg of Indian hemp and that he was on court bail when he was nabbed for yet another drug crime.

The NDLEA spokesman said operatives recovered 82.8kg skunk, 1.8kg Rohypnol and 1.2kg diazepam last Wednesday in Dei-Dei and Tora-Bora Hills in the FCT.

“In Osun, NDLEA operatives destroyed clusters of Indian hemp plantations measuring about 3.5 hectares (more than 7.5 tons) at Mopatedo in Ifedayo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, August 19.

“Two suspects – Sunday Otogbo (40), and Peter Makra (35), were arrested inside the Indian hemp farms.

“An additional 30kg of Indian hemp and 16.9kg of Indian hemp seeds were also recovered from the farms,’’ he stated.

Mr Babafemi added that three other suspects–Ndubuisi Okorie,44, Ebilima Emmanuel,38, and Okechukwu Smart,40, were arrested on August 19 in connection with 168kg of Indian hemp seized from them.

He stated that the suspects were arrested when their vehicle was intercepted on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.

“A shipment of 6,000 capsules of tramadol, 1,200 tablets of `swinol’, 155 bottles of codeine syrup and 20 tablets of Molly was equally seized on the same road on Sunday, August 13.

“A follow-up operation at Oyigbo area of Port Harcourt led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Remigius Ogechukwu (33),’’ Mr Babafemi added.

He also stated that a teenager, Boniface Odinakachukwu (19), was arrested with a 99.4kg skunk at Isikwe Road, Achi, in Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State on Friday, August 18.

The NDLEA spokesman added that a wanted 19-year-old bandit, Aliyu Mohammed Altine, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Illela-Sokoto Road with some wraps of skunk on Thursday, August 17.

Mr Altine was on the wanted list of the police and has since been handed over to the police in Sokoto State for further investigation, Mr Babafemi stated. 

(NAN)