NDLEA Nabs Pregnant Woman, Nursing Mother, Undergraduate, Others With Illicit Drugs

A pregnant woman, a nursing mother and a 200-level university student are among 28 persons arrested with 9,437.6kgs of cannabis and 138,053 tablets of pharmaceutical opioids among others by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that the seizures and arrests were during interdiction operations across various states which include; Yobe, Ondo, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos and the FCT Abuja.

A 200-level student of Mass Communication at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ms Mercy Nyong, 30, was on Wednesday 12th October arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos for attempting to export 300grams of tramadol 225mg concealed in incense products going to Dubai, UAE.

Babafemi said that in the FCT, operatives on Saturday, 15th October stormed a village known as Chukuku, which is about 10 kilometres from Gwagwalada where they raided a large cannabis warehouse.

“A total of 510 jumbo bags of the illicit substance weighing 5, 640kgs were recovered from the store with a nursing mother who was in charge, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, 35, arrested,” Babafemi said.

In Yobe, while operatives intercepted 48kgs of cannabis in Buni Yadi, they also raided a location in Potiskum where they recovered 56 blocks (31kgs) from two suspects: Mohammed Mamuda and a married pregnant woman, Hauwa Haruna.

Also at least, 99 bags of cannabis and three bags of its seeds weighing 1,286kgs were seized on Thursday 13th October when operatives raided a location in Ogbese area of Ondo State, while another raid at Umukpe forest in Uhunmonde council area of Edo State led to the seizure of 410kgs of the same substance in addition to a motorcycle, two Dane guns and the arrest of two suspects: Numga Anim, 30, and Friday Ebije, 50.

Also in Edo State, not less than 50 bags of C/S weighing 623kgs were recovered at Ekpom village in Igueben LGA with the arrest of the owner, Lucky Henry, 30, while another suspect, Ndidi Esegine, 52, was nabbed at Ugbodo forest, Ovia North East LGA with 266.8kgs C/S on Tuesday 11th October.

Two days later, operatives stormed Uzebba forest in Owan West LGA of the state to destroy four cannabis farms where two suspects: Ezekiel Raphael and Gideon Bassey were arrested with a total of 223.5kgs processed C/S recovered.

A stop and search operation along the East/West road, in Ahoada area of Rivers state has led to the recovery of 251.4kgs of C/S in a gold colour Toyota Sienna bus with Reg No – Abuja YAB 70 BR, and a suspect, Segun Ajayi was arrested, while 161.4kgs were equally recovered, from an ash colour Toyota Camry saloon car with Reg No- Abuja RBC 590 BQ.

While commending the officers and men of the commands of the anti-narcotics agency for their efforts at drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction, its Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), charged them and their counterparts across other commands not to rest on their oars.