The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered large consignments of opioids in raids in Lagos, Abia, Kano, Benue, Osun, and Edo States.

NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that in an interdiction operation in Lagos, three suspects, Osinachi Nwachukwu, Tochukwu Okafor and John Mbakwe, were arrested on March 7.

He said the alleged drug peddlers were arrested at Mosalasi Junction, Mushin, with 301,600 pills of Tramadol and other opioids.

The official said two other suspects, China Michael and Igbo Ekene, were also arrested on the same day (March 7) when NDLEA operatives intercepted their commercial truck in the Sibiri area of Ojo, Lagos.

He added that a search of the vehicle revealed 248 compressed blocks of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 128kg and concealed in the underbelly of the truck.

Mr Babafemi said that in Kano, 65-year-old Yahaya Haruna was nabbed with 19.2kg of skunk on Gadar Tamburawa road on Thursday, March 7.

According to the NDLEA spokesman, another 60-year-old man, Musa Bello, a.k.a Jajere, was arrested with 212 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Medile, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano.

Mr Babafemi said 442,594 pills of tramadol and other opioids, as well as 1,274 bottles of codeine syrup, were recovered by operatives in Abia.

“They raided the house and warehouse of a 37-year-old suspect, Blessing Okoronkwo, at 19 Ubani St, Aba, on Tuesday, March 4.

“In Benue state, 50,000 pills of Tramadol and Exol-5 were recovered from two suspects, Nwaeze Onyeabor, 47, and Tombo Thomas, 23, on Wednesday, March 5,” Mr Babafemi said.

He disclosed that NDLEA operatives arrested the suspects after their vehicle was intercepted at Ugbema Junction, Katsina-Ala area of the state.

“In Osun state, a suspect, Asimiyu Muibi, 50, was arrested on Tuesday, March 4, with 162kg of skunk at Modakeke, Ife East Local Government Area.

“Ninety-five kilogramme of the same substance was also recovered from a Toyota Camry car marked KSF 72 GW during a raid in Ede the same day.

“A suspect, Etim Esien Stephen, 55, was arrested when NDLEA officers on Wednesday, March 5, raided the Amahor community forest in the Igueben area of Edo State.

“This was where 9,514.625kg of skunk was destroyed on 3.80 hectares of cannabis farmland,” the official said.

He quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men in Lagos, Kano, Abia, Benue, Osun and Edo commands for the arrests and seizures.

Mr Marwa said their operational successes and those of their compatriots nationwide, especially their balanced approach to drug supply and drug demand reduction efforts, were well appreciated.

(NAN)