· NDLEA arrests 6
By Emmanuel OGBECHE
It was a drug bursting weekend for operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, raided a relaxation centre, popularly called Garden in Abuja and the Zuba Yam Market making various arrests over drugs.
In the Wuse raid, six people were arrested for selling drug cookies and noodles and popular local drink, ‘zobo.’
Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said following the raids were owing to credible intelligence.
According to him, NDLEA’s operatives raided the garden at Wuse Zone 5 behind Shoprite, where a lady, Rachael Famiyesun, 29, was arrested along with her salesgirl, Stella Sunday, 20, for dealing in drug cookies.
He added that they were also caught selling bottles of ‘Zobo’ prepared with cannabis also known as ‘Igbo’ in local parlance.
Also, another business operator in the garden, Moses Obi, 30, was arrested together with his salesgirl, Aisha Abdulrahman, 19, for selling noodles noodles prepared with cannabis.
Further, Babafemi said a barman, Ahonye Jonah, 31, who worked with the garden owner, was equally arrested while one of their customers, 38-year-old Ngozi Justina Emelogu, was also picked during the raid on January 19.
“Two days earlier, officers of the FCT command equally raided the Zuba Yam Market, where a drug dealer, Haruna Hassan, was arrested with 19.3kg cannabis,” he said.
Mr Babafemi also said attempts by drug traffickers to export 1.53 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside hair cream to London was foiled by operatives of the NDLEA.
The statement highlighted other arrests and seizures to include; 880 grams of cocaine concealed inside synthetic hair to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; three grams of cocaine and five grams of cannabis to Cyprus packed inside locally made shoes were intercepted.
This, he said, was through two major courier companies in Lagos and were foiled by narcotic officers attached to the firms.
In another development, NDLEA operatives on January 18 intercepted a Toyota Camry car with Reg. No. FKJ 897 DG (LAGOS), which was heading to Abuja, loaded with 360.4kg Cannabis sativa in Edo state.
The driver, Nurudeen Subaru, 42, from Auchi, Etsako West area of the state was also arrested.
He said officers of the Edo command also evacuated 111kg cannabis stored in a bush at Iruekpen, Esan West LGA on Jan. 19.
“276 compressed blocks of the same substance weighing 248.4kg were recovered from one Austin Okongwu (a.k.a Igwe), 45, at Agenebode, Etsako East, while moving the drug in a Lexus saloon car with reg. no. ABC 583 MJ (ABUJA).
“Also on Wednesday Jan. 19, a raid on a drug joint in the Edo State capital, Benin, led to the arrest of three drug dealers: Kelly Ogbebor, 38, Daniel Oviawe, 35, and Kelly Kenmakonam, 29 with different quantities of cocaine and heroin seized from them,” he said.
Mr Babafemi said attempt by 29-year-old Ifeoma Sade, wife of a drug dealer, Ifeanyi Onyeasi, 34, to swallow 12 grams of cocaine found in their house at Agingi, Rukuba road, Jos, in Plateau was foiled.
He said operatives retrieved the drug from her throat on Sunday Jan. 16 during an arrest operation.
“Also recovered from them was a monetary exhibit of Two Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Naira Only (N234, 650),” said Babafemi.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA spokesperson noted that different quantities of cannabis, methamphetamine and tramadol were seized from two suspects: Aliyu Abdullahi and Ishaya Emmanuel.
Mr Babafemi said operatives intercepted a commercial bus with reg. number GME711YX along Abuja bringing the suspects from Lagos to Yola, Adamawa on Jan. 19.
He said the long arm of the law eventually caught up with a notorious drug dealer, Adamu Musa, who had been on the run for nine months in Adamawa, Jan. 19.
“His 31-year-old elder sister, Mrs. Hannatu Sini, had been arrested on April 16, 2021, at Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa with 14.400kg of cannabis sativa.
“And she admitted keeping the exhibit for her younger brother, Adamu Musa, who was subsequently placed on the wanted list of the command.
“This is even as an ex-convict, Mrs. Modinat Lawal, was arrested in Kano on Wednesday, Jan. 19 with 22kg cannabis sativa she brought into Nigeria from Benin Republic.
“She had earlier been arrested, prosecuted and jailed for the same offence. The Ogun born trafficker claimed then that her name was Bola,” Babafemi said.
Speaking on the development, chairman of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the FCT, Edo, Plateau, Adamawa, Kano and Directorate of Investigation and General Investigations, for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa charged them and their counterparts in other commands to remain vigilant and always proactive.
