Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized over 44,948.1 kilogrammes of illicit drugs, about 44.9 tonnes, in Lagos, Edo and Ondo states.

According to the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, operatives arrested eight suspects and seized 11 vehicles from the suspected drug barons.

He said 14,310.8625kg of marijuana grown on 5.7 hectares of farms was destroyed in Ohosu-Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo, on Tuesday.

Mr Babafemi added that 7,687.8kg of the substance was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest near Akure in Ondo.

He also said NDLEA operatives evacuated 670kg of cannabis on Saturday and arrested five suspects.

They include Sunday Otulugbu, 67; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44.

Mr Babafemi said in another operation in the Uzebba-Avbiosi forest on Thursday, over 6,500kg of marijuana grown on a 2.6-hectare farm was uncovered and destroyed.

Three suspects, Kabiru Idris, 36; Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested.

He also said another operation conducted with the support of the military led to the burning down of 5,000kg of the substance in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA, on Friday.

“In Lagos, a well-coordinated operation on March 20 led to the seizure of 10,534 kilogrammes (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud.

“The strain of cannabis was intercepted in the Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel,” the NDLEA spokesman said.

He said in another raid on Friday in the Ago Palace Way area of Lagos, a suspect, Miracle Obi, was arrested with 1,006 pentazocine injections, 50 tablets of tramadol, 89 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2,360 ampoules of Diazepam injection.

Mr Babafemi said another suspect, Kareem Mustapha, was nabbed on March 19 along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 25,000 pills of tramadol and 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

(NAN)