The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 37,876 tablets of pharmaceutical opioids, especially tramadol, across Zamfara, Kogi, Rivers, Kaduna and Kano states.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said that 10,884 bottles of codeine and 825.016 kilograms of cannabis Sativa were also recovered during raids in the past week.

He said that in Zamfara, a Mercedes Benz truck with reg. no. XB 986 AGB from going from Onitsha to Sokoto was intercepted in the Tsafe area of the state on Friday.

According to him, apart from the truck driver and his assistant who have been arrested, three other persons, Alex Chukwuemeka, 37, Ignatius Mokwe Odikpo, 47, and Andrew Chijokwe, 47, the owners of the drugs, have also been arrested.

He said the arrests followed a follow-up operation at a hotel in Gusau, where the persons were waiting to receive the consignment for possible movement to Sokoto.

“In Kogi state, a fake security agent, Richard Agada, was arrested on Wednesday, May 18, while conveying ten bags of cannabis sativa, weighing 116.8kg, in a white Nissan van.

“Various quantities of opioids and cannabis were equally seized in two separate operations the previous Tuesday and Monday, in other parts of the state, and a drug dealer, Ayuba Nda Isah, 32, was arrested.

“Three suspects: Nornu Abanne; Yirakpoa Emmanuel, and Dornu Gbarazia were also arrested at Kaani community and Bori with 90kg of cannabis and 1.5 gram of cocaine on Wednesday, May 18,” he stated.

Mr Babafemi said that three suspects, Nura Salis, Bawa Musa and Charity Jacob, were arrested on Tuesday, May 17, at Warri Street, Kaduna, with 4,900 tablets of tramadol.

He added that 890 ampoules of diazepam injection, 257 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,950 tablets of Nitrazepam and 830 tablets of Carbazapine, were also intercepted.

“And in Kano state, a drug dealer, Abubakar Abdullahi, 47, with 5,970 capsules and tablets of tramadol, was arrested.

“Nasiru Musa and Musa Mohammed were also nabbed with 5,000 caps of the same drug on Tuesday, May 17,” Mr Babafemi noted.

The director quoted the chairman, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commending the officers and men of the agency’s command in Zamfara, Kogi, Rivers, Kaduna and Kano states for the arrests and seizures.

(NAN)