The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized over 44,948.1 kilograms (44.9 tonnes) of illicit drugs in massive raids across Lagos, Edo and Ondo states.
A statement on Sunday by the Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said during the operations, eight suspects were arrested and 11 vehicles owned by the drug cartels were confiscated.
It said a total of 7, 687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest, Akure, Ondo State while another 670kg of the drug was evacuated on Saturday, March 23, 2024.
The statement noted that no fewer than 14,310.8625kg of the same psychoactive substance was razed on 5.7 hectares of farms in Ohosu/Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West LGA, Edo State on Tuesday, March 19, where five suspects namely 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44, were arrested.
Babafemi noted that in another operation in Uzebba/Avbiosi forest on Thursday, March 21, over 6,500kg of cannabis was destroyed on 2.6 hectares of farms where three suspects: Kabiru Idris, 36; Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested.
It said, "In the same vein, 5,000kg of the same substance was razed in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA by NDLEA operatives with support from the military on Friday 22nd March.
"In Lagos, a well-coordinated operation on Wednesday 20th March led to the seizure of 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis in Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel. The recovered vehicles include:
"Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE; Toyota sienna marked AAA 338 GL; Toyota Sienna marked AAA 308 EP; Toyota sienna marked FKJ 381 JC; Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG; Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT; an unmarked Iveco J5 bus; Toyota sienna marked LSD 744 GP; Toyota highlander SUV marked KTU 280 FN; Toyota Sienna marked AAA 333 GH and Toyota sienna marked FKJ 208 HV.
"In another raid at Ago Palace way area of the state on Friday 22nd March, a suspect, Miracle Obi was arrested with 1,006 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 50 tablets of tramadol 225mg; 89 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,360 ampoules of Diazepam injection. Another suspect, Kareem Mustapha was earlier on Tuesday 19th March nabbed along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 25,000 pills of tramadol and 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
"While 58 kg cannabis was recovered at Jagindi village, Kafanchan LGA, Kaduna State on Friday 22nd March, Abdulqadir Muhammad, 34, was arrested with 45 kilograms of same substance by NDLEA operatives along Kaduna- Zaria expressway."
Giving further details of the raids in other parts of the country, NDLEA's spokesman said that its operatives in Borno state, arrested Salisu Yusuf, 20, with 30kg Arizona, a strain of cannabis at Njimtilo checkpoint on Saturday, March 23, while another suspect, Rabiu Husseini, 27, was arrested with 34kg cannabis along Gwagwalada/Abuja highway on his way from Lagos to Katsina State on Wednesday.
"The following day, 22nd March, NDLEA officers on patrol along Gashua-Baymari road, Busari LGA, Yobe state arrested Haladu Hassan with 160 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 50kg.
"In Kano state, a syndicate dealing in cocaine and heroin was successfully dismantled with the arrest of 42-year-old Onyeka Uba at Sabon Gari area of Kano where 1.805 kilograms and 7grams of the illicit substances were recovered from him on Monday 18th March. Another suspect, Ubale Sani, 49, was also arrested with 51.5kg cannabis at Chiromawa area of Kano," it said.