The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol worth over N6.98 billion at the Apapa port in Lagos. The shipment was from India and was labeled as maize starch, but it turned out to contain the controlled drug.
In a statement on Sunday from the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the consignment included 349 bags. Laboratory tests confirmed that it contained tramadol hydrochloride.
Mr. Babafemi noted that at the Tincan port, officers also seized 55 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a type of cannabis valued at N165 million. The drug was hidden in a Toyota Sienna inside a 40-foot container.
Arrests in Lagos
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives raided a store in Idumota and arrested Elizabeth Chidera Kalu. They found 10,600 ampoules of diazepam and 6,500 tablets of Molly in her possession.
Two other men were arrested in separate operations in Mushin. Idowu Daudu, 35, was caught with 59.95 kilogrammes of cannabis, while Ahmed Oniyinde, also 35, had 61.23 kilogrammes.
Officers intercepted a truck coming from the Trade Fair market along the Iyana Oba axis. A search revealed 18,000 tablets of 250mg tramadol hidden in cartons labeled as Rambo insecticide.
The suspects were identified as Tajudeen Adeduntan, a loading manager, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru.
85-year-old woman among suspects arrested in Edo
In Edo State, six suspects were arrested during raids on 15 and 16 October in Warake, Ivhiaro, Ewe, and Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area.
Grace Ehimeka, 85, was found with 179 kilogrammes of cannabis, while Ayo Aigberadion, 53, had 220.8 kilogrammes.
The other suspects included Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852 kilogrammes of cannabis; Habib Braimoh, 45, with 100 grammes; Musa Mubid, 35, with two kilogrammes of cannabis, seeds, tramadol, Swinol, and diazepam; and Hope Okoro, 35, with 237 grammes of Loud.
Ms. Ehimeka’s arrest follows a report about another elderly woman, Uloma Sunday, 83, in Abia State. Ms. Sunday was arrested on 7 October, months after she and her daughter were convicted in a drug case.
NDLEA destroys cannabis farm in Ondo
In Ondo State, officers destroyed a cannabis farm covering three hectares in the Okemoro Isinbode camp forest on 17 October. The plants were estimated to weigh 7,500 kilogrammes.
During this operation, five suspects were arrested: Asikpo Ekpeyoung, 43; Solomon Okpani, 22; Ubong Friday, 35; Joseph Friday, 22; and Ekenimi Seth, 35.
Officers also recovered 92 bags of cannabis weighing 1,267 kilogrammes, along with 11 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds and three kilogrammes of fresh cannabis stems. These findings added up to 1,281 kilogrammes, separate from the destroyed plants.
Seizures in Bauchi and Kano
In Bauchi State, officers intercepted Shamsu Garba, 35, at Ragwam village in Katagum Local Government Area on 14 October. He was in a Volkswagen Golf wagon carrying 894,800 pills, which the agency identified as tramadol capsules and Exol-5 tablets.
On the same day, officers found 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265 kilogrammes in an abandoned vehicle at Tudun Natsira, along the Bauchi-Gombe road.
In Kano State, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, were arrested along the Zaria-Kano road on 13 October with 30,100 tablets of tramadol, 225mg.
A day later, officers arrested Murtala Dayyabu, 54, on Niger Street in the Malan Kato area with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5.
Further arrests in Kaduna and Abuja
At the airport, a 16-year-old passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, was arrested on 16 October while preparing to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah via Addis Ababa. She was carrying 511.75 grammes of cannabis hidden in a gallon of palm oil.
Ms. Ahmad claimed her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, had given her the substance. He was arrested at the airport car park.
In Kaduna State, officers arrested Mohammed Sani, 48; Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29; and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20, during a raid in Kayimi village. They recovered 496.5 kilogrammes of cannabis.
In Abuja, Odo Jonas Ejike, 42, was arrested in Utako on 17 October with 29,500 tramadol capsules, the agency reported.
NDLEA holds anti-drug awareness campaigns
The agency also organized awareness programs under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign in several states.
These activities took place at schools including Nawar-Ur-Deen High School in Ogboro, Oyo State; Elf Junior Secondary School in Bojude, Gombe State; and Cherubim and Seraphim Primary School in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
NDLEA chairman Buba Marwa praised officers involved in the operations, especially at the Apapa and Tincan ports, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, and commands in Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory. He urged them to keep up the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
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