NDLEA intercepts cocaine, loud in food flasks, snacks, arrests fashion designer, others

Babafemi said further investigation revealed Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, a 52-year-old freight and forwarding agent, as the sender of the consignment, and he was arrested in a follow-up operation.

The statement indicated that in a similar operation, NDLEA officers at the import shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday, 8th April, intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, weighing 2.90 kilograms, concealed in snack food packs, which arrived from the United States of America aboard a Delta Airlines flight.

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It stated that two cargo clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji road, Ogba, Lagos, on Monday, 13th April.

The statement reads, "In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway by Gwargwaje Zaria on Monday, 13th April intercepted a trailer conveying cement heading to Hadeja in Jigawa state. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms. The truck driver, Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

"A 53-year-old female suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh, was arrested on Thursday, 16th April, when NDLEA officers, supported by soldiers, raided a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state, where 15,000 kilograms of skunk on six hectares of farmland were destroyed and 119kg of the same substance recovered.

"Another cannabis farm was raided on Tuesday 14th April at Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state, where NDLEA operatives destroyed 2,281.43kg of same psychoactive substance, while three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45, were arrested, with the duo of Christopher and Monday caught with 38.5kg cannabis and its seeds. Two suspects: Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were nabbed with 87.838kg skunk and seeds at the Powerline area of Okwo, Delta state, on Friday, 17th April.

"In Lagos, two suspects: Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu were arrested on Wednesday, 15th April at Mile 2, Lagos/Badagry expressway while conveying 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection in a truck to Ghana. Same day, NDLEA operatives raided a two-storey building at Petti, Lagos Island, where a total of 95.8kg skunk was recovered."

Babafemi said with the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places, and communities, among others, in the past week.

Babafemi said these include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Alfurgan Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state; Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Heritage Model School, Ankpa, Kogi; Government Day Junior and Senior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina; Government Senior Secondary School, Rano, Kano, and De Ambassador Secondary School, Epe, Lagos state, among others.

"While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities, while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo," the statement reads.