The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized 5,653,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and exol-5 from three suspects in Kano.

In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Nura Abdullahi, 38, and Tahir Muhammad Mukhtar, 42, were arrested in the Bacharawa area of Kano with 5,404,000 pills of tramadol 250mg on January 14.

He said Yusuf Umar, 50, was also nabbed in the Gadar Tamburawa area of the state on January 13 with 249,000 tablets of exol-5 by NDLEA operatives.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, two suspects — Ali Abubakar and Murtala Sani were arrested in the Ojodu Berger area of the state on January 16 with 110kg of Indian hemp.

Mr Babafemi added that 69kg of the same substance was recovered from the hideout of a fleeing suspect in Akerele, Surulere, on the same day.

Also, not less than 2,800 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup were recovered by NDLEA officers on January 20 during a raid operation at Aleita, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“The suspected owner of the consignment, Jideofor Sochima, is still at large.

“A total of 100,510 pills of opioids were seized from a suspect, Ike Emmanuel, 35, on Thursday, January 18, at Dan-Anacha village, Taraba state.

“NDLEA operatives in Abia state arrested 60-year-old Joseph Isiguzoro, as well as Emmanuel Eugene and Malachi Ndu in parts of Abia state with 34,200 pills of opioids.

“Isiguzoro was equally found with monetary exhibit totalling N2,885,045 only,” he said.

Mr Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending officers and men of Kano, Lagos, FCT, and Abia commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week.

Mr Marwa charged them to maintain the “flame of collaboration” with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders in their areas of responsibility. 

(NAN)