The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a pregnant woman, a nursing mother and a 200-level university student for drug abuse and peddling.

In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the suspects were among 28 persons arrested with 9,437.6 kilograms of cannabis and 138,053 tablets of pharmaceutical opioids, among others, by operatives of NDLEA.

He said the suspects were arrested during interdiction operations in Yobe, Ondo, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos and the FCT, Abuja.

He said operators raided a large warehouse in Chukuku village, near Gwagwalada and recovered 510 jumbo bags of the illicit substance weighing 5,640kgs from a nursing mother, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, 35.

“In Yobe, while operatives intercepted 48kgs of cannabis in Buni Yadi, they also raided a location in Potiskum where they recovered 56 blocks (31kgs).

“Two suspects were arrested in connection to the seized drugs, namely: Mohammed Mamuda and a married pregnant woman, Hauwa Haruna,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said at least 99 bags of cannabis and three bags of its seeds weighing 1,286kgs were seized on October 13, when operatives raided a location in the Ogbese area of Ondo State.

He said another raid at Umukpe forest in the Uhunmonde council area of Edo led to the seizure of 410kgs of the same substance in addition to a motorcycle, two Dane guns and the arrest of two suspects.

Mr Babafemi said the two suspects were Numga Anim, 30, and Friday Ebije, 50, adding that not less than 50 bags of cannabis Sativa weighing 623kgs were recovered at Ekpom village in Igueben LGA, with the arrest of the owner, Lucky Henry, 30.

According to him, another suspect, Ndidi Esegine, 52, was nabbed at Ugbodo forest, Ovia North East LGA, with 266.8kgs cannabis Sativa on October 11.

“Two days later, operatives stormed Uzebba forest in Owan West LGA to destroy four cannabis farms where two suspects, Ezekiel Raphael and Gideon Bassey, were arrested with a total of 223.5kgs processed C/S recovered.

“A stop and search operation along the East/West road, in Ahoada area of Rivers has led to the recovery of 251.4kgs of cannabis Sativa in a gold colour Toyota Sienna bus with Reg No – Abuja YAB 70 BR, and a suspect, Segun Ajayi, arrested.

“161.4kgs were equally recovered, from an ash colour Toyota Camry saloon car with Reg No- Abuja RBC 590 BQ,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said an attempt by a trans-border trafficker, Edet Osu James, 44, to export 2.4kgs cocaine was foiled by officers of the Marine unit of the agency in Akwa Ibom.

He said the drugs, concealed in two large tins of powdered milk to be exported to Cameroon, were intercepted on October 13 during an outward clearance of vessels going to Cameroon from Oron.

“In Imo, no fewer than 10,690 pills of tramadol were intercepted during stop and search operations along Owerri-Onitsha road.”

He said three suspects, Saadu Usman; Godwin Emeka, including Emeka Obijihe, who was standing trial, were arrested in follow-up efforts on October 13.

“In Jigawa, operatives recovered 67,300 pills of exol-5 and tramadol at Dansure/Roni junction, while in Kogi, a total of 46,100 pills of the same opioids were seized along Okene-Abuja highway both on October 13,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said six suspects were arrested at a notorious drug location in Ngurore town, Adamawa, with 495kgs cannabis seized in addition to different quantities of opioids.

According to him, the suspects included Chidi Titus, Vincent Donatus, Badishi Bitrus, Abubakar Inuwa, Abdul A. Abdul and Inuwa Ado Isa.

“At least 5,480 pills of tramadol were seized from two suspects: Dalhatu Salisu and Hamisu Ishaq, who were arrested on October 12 by operatives along the Abuja-Kaduna express road.

“A total of 3,800 bottles of new psychoactive substance, Akuskura and 7,760 tablets of tramadol were recovered from five suspects along the Ilorin-Jebba highway.

“Four of the suspects, Idris Nadir, 38, Suleiman Mubammed, 68, Babangida Zaki, 30 and Yahaya Lawal, claimed they were coming from Ibadan, Oyo State, and taking the Akuskura to Katsina, Kano and Birnin Kebbi.

“The fifth suspect, Nafiu Idris, who was arrested with the tramadol pills, said he was taking them to Kankara in Katsina State,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 200-level student of Mass Communication at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Mercy Nyong, 30, was on Wednesday, October 12 arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was arrested for attempting to export 300 grams of tramadol 225mg concealed in incense products to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

(NAN)