The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted more than 3.1 million pills of opioids across various states in Nigeria, including Kano, Kogi, Abia, Lagos, Ogun, and Borno.
The operations, conducted in the past week, targeted drug trafficking networks in different parts of the country.
NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, announced these significant seizures in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. The operations involved raids and diligent efforts by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with other security agencies.
The multi-state operations
In Ogun State, on Thursday, Feb. 29, operatives recovered a consignment of 169kg of cannabis abandoned in a truck at Sagamu tollgate.
- Meanwhile, in Lagos, 25 cartons of tramadol containing 325,000 pills were seized in Ikeja on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
- The statement revealed that suspect was arrested in Kano, and 2,745,000 capsules of pregabalin were recovered from him at Singer market, Sabon Gari.
- The suspect was subsequently handed over to the Kano state command of NDLEA by the Department of State Security Services (DSS).
The collaborative efforts between the 243 Recce Battalion, Nigerian Army, Badagry, and NDLEA resulted in the transfer of 27 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 1,110kg.
- The contraband was recovered at a coastal community, Ajido, by soldiers and handed over to the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA.
- Further operations in Borno led to the arrest of another suspect with 44,950 pills of tramadol at Moranti area by NDLEA operatives.
- In Abia, NDLEA operatives raided a drug joint at Cemetery Barracks, Aba, leading to the arrest of a suspect, with various quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
- Additional raids were carried out at the abandoned Eyimba Hotel, Ogbor Hill, Aba, resulting in the seizure of illicit substances and the arrest of suspects on Friday, March 1.
- In a stop-and-search operation along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway in Kogi, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial bus marked GRM 347XA (Borno). The bus was found to be transporting 28 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) weighing 11kg.
Furthermore, the officials confiscated 100 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup and 500 tablets of diazepam, concealed in three plastic drums covered with cattle fats. The contraband was headed to Jos, Plateau.
