By Olukayode Idowu
No fewer than 110 drug dealers were arrested in a raid on hideouts in nine states across the country in the past one week.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi said during the raids by operatives of the agency many of the notorious hideouts of drug dealers were dismantled and assorted illicit substances seized.
He said in Lagos, notorious drug joints in Maza Maza, Alakija, Festac town, Amuwo Odofin, Oluti, Isheri roundabout, and Igando were raided on Thursday 7th October, 2021, when at least 16 suspects were arrested.
The arrested suspects, according to him, include: Lucky Elibe; Abdullahi Jabir; Amos Kalli; Nweke ThankGod; Tukwosi Arowolu; Odinaka Oramu; Jeremiah Ishaya; Maxwell John; Usman Garba; Christian Okibe; Mba Peter; Sarah Offiri; Wasiu Adeniji; Bode Olaitan; Yetunde Ahmed; and Abdullahi Jibril.
He said seven others were also arrested in different locations in Lekki area of the state. They are: Emmanuel Sunday; Buhari Ibrahim; Kudus Taiwa; Samuel Jeremiah; Adebayo Adams; Joshua Madube and Mary Jane Nweke.
One Okoropo Mathew was arrested in Obalende area of the state, with four others, Sulaiman Hammadu; Olalekan Abiodun; Lukman Kamarudeen and Toyeeb Isa nabbed in Agege area of Lagos.
Babafemi revealed that no fewer than 17 suspects arrested by men of the 149 Battalion (Rear), Nigerian Army Cantonment, Ojo, were also transfered to the agency for further investigation.
Seized from the suspects are different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Tramadol, Methamphetamine, Diazepam, Cannabis and other psychoactive substances.
According to the spokesman, the arrest of a 19-year-old female drug dealer, Mngunengen Achir in Aliade area of Benue State with 5.5 kilogrammes of Cannabis and 112 grammes of Diazepam on Wednesday 6th October took a disturbing twist when other members of her cartel abducted a retired NDLEA personnel from that community who they assumed was still a serving officer, took him to a forest and demanded for the release of the suspect in custody before their victim would be freed.
Another raid of the house of a drug kingpin in Ruga area of Mararaba, Karu local government area of Nasarawa State, led to the recovery of 30 bags of cannabis weighing 362.5 kilogrammes, while in Akwa Ibom State, three male suspects were arrested on Wednesday 6th October during a raid of drug joints in Oron area with over 25 kilogrammes of drugs seized.
In Ondo, a notorious drug dealer at Ogbani-Oja Okitipupa, Okitipupa local government area, Adedugba Adeyemi, a.k.a Oyinbo, was arrested in his fortified den, where different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin and Skunk were recovered.
Seven other suspects were arrested in some drug joints in other parts of the state, including Shasha market, Akure North local government; Asolo camp, Usho, Owo local government, Albert Link Street, Finger Licking hotel and Shittu street, all in Akure, the state capital.
In Kano State, one Shamsuddeen Muhammad was arrested with 21.6 kilogrammes of cannabis, well concealed inside empty cartons, while in Oyo state, no fewer than 12 persons were arrested at drug joints raided and dismantled across the state.
He said some of the destroyed black spots include: Alfa area, Sabo motor park, Idisin Ijeru area, Odo Oba, Gambari in Oyo area; Igboro joint in Saki town, Agberele forest joint in Saki west local government area, Ago Are market in Atisbo local government area, Eleyele motorpark, Eleyele forest, Apete complex, Sabo garage, Ojoo, all in Ibadan as well as Odo Oba, Ogo Oluwa local government area.
He said in Kwara State no fewer than 38 suspects were arrested and 29.585 kilogrammes assorted drugs including Cocaine, Meth, Tramadol, Diazepam and others recovered from them across seven drug joints in Lafiagi, while in Rivers State, at least three persons were arrested from drug joints in Oyigbo and Kara oil mill area of the state on 9th October.
In a related development, more than 5 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine and Cannabis concealed in soles of ladies shoes, body cream and auto spare parts heading to Australia, Pakistan, South Korea, and Hong Kong have been intercepted in four courier firms in Lagos by narcotic officers in the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations, DOGI, of the Agency.
In his reaction to the latest clampdown, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the nine state Commands for taking the battle to the doorsteps of the drug cartels within the communities and in the forests.
He said their contributions towards saving the lives of innocent youths; women and adults from the merchants of death would never be forgotten, while charging them and their colleagues in other commands to remain resilient as they continue with the offensive action against the narco-syndicates.
