The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized cocaine and methamphetamine worth over N4.1 billion and arrested several suspects, including siblings, in Aba, Abia State.
In a press release on Sunday, the government agency said the NDLEA Special Operation Unit also uncovered a warehouse in Lagos stocked with codeine-based syrup and arrested four suspects.
The statement said, “A cartel controlled by a drug baron, 49-year-old Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi and his 50-year-old elder sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, has been taken down by officers of the Special Operation Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following the arrest of the siblings and seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine consignments worth over N4.1billion in street value from their hideout in Aba, Abia state.
“The special operation conducted on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June 2024 at 3B, Boundary Avenue, Aba and a residence along Ohia road, Ohia, Abia State followed months of intelligence gathering, leading to the arrest of the ring leaders and the combined seizure of 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine from them.”
Pertaining to Lagos, the agency said “Those arrested include: Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke, 38; Emeka Emmanuel, 48; Bornaventure Ugochukwu, 59; and Martin Dike, 56, while a total of 82,000 bottles of the opioid worth more than N600million in street value, Toyota Tacuma truck and two buses used for distributing the substance were recovered from the premises on Monday 10th June 2024 when NDLEA officers conducted the operation
“In Ogun State, a skuchies-making factory was busted, and seven suspects were arrested.”
Additionally, the agency seized tramadol pills worth over N600 million in Kano and destroyed 28,959kg of cannabis in Edo and Ekiti forests.
The statement continued, “In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, two suspects: Muhammad Abba, 33, and Samson Ehizogie, 42, were arrested with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura”, a new mixture of psychotropic substances, by operatives during a raid on Friday 14th June at Garki Area 10 and Dutse Suokale, both within the FCT.
“While Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, was nabbed with 11,200 pills of tramadol on Wednesday 12th June along Otukpo-Enugu road, by NDLEA operatives in Benue state, Anayo Onwe, 40, was arrested with 62.4kg cannabis sativa at Nteje just as 1kg of methamphetamine belonging to a fleeing suspect, in Oraifite, both in Anambra state was seized. In Kwara state, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33kg cannabis at Bode-Saadu, Jebba, while Shokuro Adeola, 59, was nabbed with 11.5kg of same substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo state.
“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
“These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and teachers of Mind Builder College, Oyo town, Oyo state; students of Demonstration Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi; students of Government Secondary School, Bunkure, Kano; students of Command Day Secondary School, Ede, Osun; students and teachers of Khulafau-Rashideen Islamic School, Babanna, Niger state; and students of Aggrey Memorial Modern School, Arochukwu, Abia state, among others.”
The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their operational successes and urged them to intensify efforts to reduce drug supply and demand.
