The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in a major crackdown has dismantled a drug cartel controlled by Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi (49), and his elder sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi (50).
According to a statement signed by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, and made available to the Channel Network Afrique, CNA, the siblings were arrested in Aba, Abia State, following the seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine worth over N4.1 billion in street value.
The operation led to the confiscation of 20.76 kilograms of illegal substances from their hideouts.
The agency also uncovered a warehouse in the Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri, in Lagos stocked with 82,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth more than N600 million at street value, a Toyota Tacuma truck, and two buses used for distribution.
Four individuals; Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke(38), Emeka Emmanuel(48), Bonaventure Ugochukwu(59), and Martin Dike( 56) suspected with the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested and a Toyota Takuma and two buses used for distribution were seized.
The agency further intercepted Ibrahim Abdulhamid at Alaba Suru, Ojo Local Council Area of Lagos seizing 29,100 tramadol pills and 3.9 liters of codeine syrup.
Further operations according to the statement resulted in the recovery of 230,600 tramadol 200mg and 225mg pills and the arrest of Yasir Rabi’u(23), and Abubakar Ado(30), major distributors in the Kano and Jigawa states, at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano.
In Ogun State, NDLEA officers raided a skuchies production factory in the Sabo area of Shagamu, arresting seven suspects. The suspects include Karim Jamiu, Oriyimi Ayo, Bamidele Wasiu, Rasheed Olanrewaju, Ramota Lawal, Amudalat Olanrewaju and Adeniyi Omotosho.
The Operatives confiscated a total of 387 liters of skuchies, 70 liters of industrial codeine,25kg of cannabis, and other psychoactive substances as well as various equipment used in their production.
In the fight against illicit drugs, NDLEA operatives destroyed over 10,534.78kg of cannabis on June 12 in Uhen Forest, Edo State, detaining four suspects; Frank Ishoku(38), Clifford Ossia(49), Vanger Timothy(30), and John Peter Oluwaseyi(30) and recovering 16kg of cannabis for prosecution purpose.
A similar operation in Ise Ekiti Forest, Ekiti State with the support of other Security Agencies led to the destruction of 18,425 kilograms of cannabis.
In Abuja, NDLEA officials arrested Muhammed Abba(33) and Samson Ehigozie(42), confiscating 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura” a new mixture of psychotropic substances at Garki Area 10 and Dutse Suokale.
Similarly, Emmanuel Ogechi(24) was nabbed with 11,200 pills of tramadol along the Otukpo- Enugu road by operatives. In Anambra, Anayo Onwe (40) was arrested with 62.4kg of cannabis Sativa at Nteje while 1kg of Methamphetamine belonging to a fleeing suspect in oraifite was confiscated.
In Kwara, Muhammed Musa(24) in possession of 33kg of cannabis was arrested at Bode-Saadu, Jebba while Shokuro Adeola(59) was detained for possession of 11.5kg of the same substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo State.
In addition, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across the country last week. The agency conducted enlightenment lectures in various schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities.
Notable sessions included those at Mind Builder College in Oyo town, Oyo State; Demonstration Secondary School in Kabba, Kogi State; Government Secondary School in Bunkure, Kano State; Command Day Secondary School in Ede, Osun State; Khulafau-Rashideen Islamic School in Babanna, Niger State; and Aggrey Memorial Modern School in Arochukwu, Abia State, among others.
The NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers for their efforts and urged them to intensify their drug supply and demand reduction activities.
