By Olukayode Idowu
A 75-year-old grandpa, Usman Bajama is among 22 suspects arrested in operations across seven states by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the last one week during which over a million bottles/capsules of banned new psychoactive substance, Akuskura and tramadol as well as 2,536 kilogrammes of cannabis were seized.
During the operations over 10 hectares of farms were destroyed in Edo and Adamawa states.
The septuagenarian, whose alias is Clemen, according to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi was arrested in the early hours of last Tuesday at Anguwan Sate, Mararraban Tola, Mayo Belwa council area of Adamawa State where he had a cannabis plantation from where 49 kilogrammes of the illicit substance was recovered.
Babafemi said in Kwara state, at least 19,878 bottles of the banned new psychoactive substance, Akuskura were intercepted by NDLEA operatives along Ilorin-Jebba highway last Wednesday and two suspects: Oladokun Oluwaseun, 49, and Ibrahim Jimoh,27, arrested.
He said they both claimed the consignment packed in 35 jumbo sacks was loaded in Ibadan, Oyo state, and meant for distribution in Jos, Plateau state.
Earlier, two suspects: Ukoro Ifeanyi, 46, and Idowu Toyosi, 20, were arrested with 2,290 capsules of tramadol and 100 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Mararaba park, Ilorin. The drugs were brought in from Onitsha, Anambra state.
He said in Lagos state, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a Volvo truck loaded with 2,146 kilogrammes of cannabis at Sangotedo area of Ajah and three suspects: Abdulazeez Rasheed; Afeez Raheem and Moshood Suleiman were arrested, adding that at least, 979,119 capsules of expired pregabalin weighing 733 kilogrammes were recovered from Musbahu Ya’u, 28, and five others at Dansarai area of Kano state, while in Enugu state, 197.8 kilogrammes cannabis was recovered in a store at new market, Enugu last Tuesday
In the same vein, 117.7 kilogrammes of the psychoactive substance was intercepted along Okene-Abuja expressway in a truck coming from Lagos to Abuja.
In Edo state, six cannabis farmers were arrested when NDLEA operatives stormed their farms at Chigbite, Utese forest in Ovia North East local government area and Ekudo forest, Uhunmonde local government area, where over 10 hectares of cannabis plantation were destroyed and more than 193 kilogrammes of the processed illicit substance seized. Those arrested include: David Hanson; Ufuoma Progress; Marvelous Armstrong; Marvelous Efe; Joshua Abubakar and Elijah Abubakar.
Meanwhile, anti-narcotics officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos have arrested two freight agents over attempts to smuggle 26.20 kilogrammes cannabis concealed in cereal packs through the SAHCO shed for export to Dubai, UAE. He said the consignment was abandoned at the shed before the airport security transferred it to NDLEA.
Babafemi said further investigation by the agency led to the arrest last Friday of Olatunbosun Abimbola, 34, who works at Ashadox Logistics Services, a cargo company. He said Abimbola confessed to the crime but stated that he acted on the instructions of his Managing Director, Oloyede Abiola, who was promptly arrested.
According to him, the 40-year-old stated that due to the strict security measures put in place by the NDLEA, he was forced to abandon the cargo to avoid being detected.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of Adamawa, Kwara, Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Kogi, Edo and MMIA Commands for their resilience, charged them and others across the country to remain vigilant and committed to the collective goal of saving Nigeria from the drug scourge.
