The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has announced that its operatives intercepted a commercial bus conveying N3.2 million in counterfeit cash.
NDLEA said three suspects, eight-month pregnant Favour Peter, 24; Esther Adukwu, 27, and Ochigbo Michael, 39, were arrested at Jabi park in Abuja in a follow-up operation on Tuesday, April 9 following the seizure of the fake naira notes in Lokoja, Kogi State.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday.
He also announced that NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with men of the Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard base, Lokoja, intercepted 37-year-old Aliyu Lawal along Lokoja-Abuja road on Monday, recovering 620 blocks of cannabis weighing 310kg.
According to the statement, 10 sacks of the same psychoactive substance, weighing 98kg, were also seized along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway by NDLEA operatives from Jama Obodo, 44, in a commercial bus coming from Ilesha, Osun State enroute Taraba State on Wednesday, April 10.
Announcing other interceptions and seizures made by the NDLEA, Babafemi said: “In Cross River State, a 40-year-old widow and mother of two, Mrs. Theodora Ita was on Monday 8th April arrested at Bassey Edom, Calabar, by NDLEA operatives for producing and selling a lethal new psychoactive substance, NPS, locally called ‘Combine’, which is a mixture of different strains of cannabis and opioids soaked in raw gin.
“As at the time of her arrest, 18 litres of the dangerous substance in used paint drums were recovered from her. In her statement, she claimed she started the illicit drug production and distribution in October 2023. Another suspect, Godwin Okon Samuel, 48, was apprehended at Essit Ebum area of Calabar with 39.4kg of cannabis sativa on Tuesday 9th April.
“While two suspects: Sani Mohammed, 43, and Christopher Eze, 64, were arrested in Sabon Gari area of Kano on Tuesday 9th April with 900,000 pills of opioid recovered from them, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Owerri-Onitsha road, Imo state on Friday 12th April intercepted a logistics truck with registration number JGB 403XB and recovered 230 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 119kg hidden under household items after a thorough search.
“At least 252 kilograms of cannabis were seized during a raid at Ijesa Isu forest, Ekiti state on Saturday 13th April while four suspects: Adamu Umar, 39; Abdullahi A Gimba, 27; Julius Uduakhomu, 28; and Micheal Sunday, 24, were nabbed loading 40kg of same substance to the engine compartment of a gas truck at Agho village, Owan East, Edo state. Two motorcycles used in conveying the consignment to where the gas truck heading to the North was parked, were also recovered.
“In Ogun state, a suspect, Ismaila Ogun was arrested on Friday 12th April with 79kg cannabis at Imeko, while 18-year-old Friday Abah was nabbed with 410kg of the same substance when NDLEA operatives raided Obatedo camp, Itaogbolu forest, Akure North LGA, Ondo State.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the Kogi, Cross River, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Imo, Kano, and Edo Commands of the Agency for their outstanding feats in drug supply reduction.
Marwa equally applauded them and their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures, aimed at drug demand reduction.
