The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant arrests related to drug trafficking recently. In Osun State, Ige Babatunde, the Ba’ale of Akarabata in Ile-Ife, was apprehended for alleged involvement in drug trafficking. NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed that Babatunde, aged 50, was detained on Friday with 5kg of fresh cannabis plants.
Additionally, Yusuf Abdulrahman, a 25-year-old youth corps member, was arrested at Corpers Lodge in Sumaila, Kano, in possession of 1.250kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. Simultaneously, NDLEA conducted a successful raid on a prominent cocaine syndicate based in Lagos, led by Agbakoba John Mmadu and his wife. The operation resulted in the seizure of substantial amounts of cocaine intended for both local distribution and export.
Further operations by NDLEA operatives in Benue intercepted 350 grams of cocaine disguised within an MP3 speaker at a checkpoint along Enugu Road. This led to the arrest of 25-year-old Odeh Anthony at Flight motor park in Otukpo. In Adamawa state, a Chadian national named Yves Ahmat Gali was apprehended on a commercial bus carrying 5.200kg of Loud concealed in a loudspeaker.
In a coordinated effort across various states, NDLEA continued its crackdown on drug-related activities, including the arrest of suspects like Monday Ali and Jimoh Alewi in Ondo state. They were apprehended during an operation where 42,500kg of cannabis was destroyed and 73.5kg was recovered for prosecution. In Abuja, operatives arrested Sanusi Mamman and Usaini Ibrahim with a significant quantity of opioids, including codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, and rophynol, allegedly transported from Onitsha, Anambra state.
NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa commended the efforts of officers and special operations units across Osun, Benue, Ondo, Kano, and FCT commands for their successful operations and urged them to sustain their vigilance in combating drug abuse. The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiatives nationwide, conducting sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.