NDLEA operatives on Friday, January 23, arrested two suspects, identified as Aminu Ali Baba, 20, and Abdulrasheed Abubakar, 28, in connection with the seizure of two bags containing 140 packets of explosives.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted bags of explosives heading to Kano and Kaduna states and arrested multiple suspects, including a 72-year-old grandfather and a serving village head, in a series of coordinated operations across several states.
NDLEA operatives on Friday, January 23, arrested two suspects, identified as Aminu Ali Baba, 20, and Abdulrasheed Abubakar, 28, in connection with the seizure of two bags containing 140 packets of explosives.
The explosives were intercepted inside a commercial bus along the Kaduna–Zaria highway in Zaria. Following swift intelligence-led follow-up operations, Aminu Ali Baba was arrested at Karota motor park in Kano, while Abdulrasheed Abubakar was nabbed at Mando motor park in Kaduna.
In a related operation in Kaduna State, NDLEA officers on Thursday, January 22, raided Kwangila area of Zaria Local Government Area, where they arrested Fatima Ibrahim, 42, and Adejimoh Ismaila, 44, with 120 kilograms of skunk.
As part of efforts to cut off drug supplies to terrorist groups, NDLEA operatives in Borno State on Wednesday, January 21, intercepted 179,590 pills of tramadol and diazepam concealed in sacks of charcoal and animal feeds.
The drugs were being transported in a public vehicle from Potiskum, Yobe State. A follow-up operation at Bulabulin area of Maiduguri led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Rabiu Imam, 32.
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives arrested a female suspect, Mrs. Eze Cynthia Chioma, on Friday, January 23, in Mokwa.
Her arrest followed the seizure of her consignment of 78,500 tramadol pills earlier the same day at Bode Saadu, Kwara State, from a truck coming from Lagos. Her husband, who is currently remanded in prison, was arrested last year for a similar drug trafficking offence and is facing trial.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA officers on Saturday, January 24, arrested 72-year-old Afolalu Joseph at his residence on Aramoko Road, Mushin area of Ilawe-Ekiti, alongside Abu Bunmi, also known as “Go Slow,” 45, at New Jerusalem area, Erijinyan Road, Ilawe-Ekiti.
A total of 62 kilograms of skunk was recovered from the two suspects.
A village head, Chief James Abamu, and another suspect, Aboy Egah Abamu, were also taken into custody in Edo State after soldiers of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade, Benin City, arrested them during a raid at Lagos Camp, Ilushi, in Esan South East Local Government Area. The suspects were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA.
During the operation on Wednesday, January 21, officers recovered 681 kilograms of skunk and 181 kilograms of cannabis seeds.
In Kano State, NDLEA operatives arrested Abba Hassan, Anas Moh’d Auwal, and Sadik Ismail on Tuesday, January 20, at Sabon Gari area with 1,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
In Oyo State, Olajumoke Ridwan and Baruwa Ibukun were arrested on Thursday, January 22, at Paris Lounge along Ring Road, Ibadan, with 181.5 litres of skuchies, a mixture of skunk and other illicit substances.
In Benue State, a female suspect, Janet Iornongu, was arrested at Yes Ikyuan village, Guma Local Government Area, with 210 kilograms of skunk. Another suspect, Anita Job, was intercepted along Abaji–Toto Road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 254.5 kilograms of the same substance on Thursday, January 22.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 39,800 pills of tramadol (225mg) from two suspects, Hamisu Misbahu and Chima Obi, at Alaba Rago, Mile 2 area, on Monday, January 19. In Delta State, officers seized no fewer than 30,003 pills of tramadol, molly, and other opioids, as well as 20 litres of codeine syrup, from Chinyecherem Cyprian Ugwu along Sapele Road, Warri, on Thursday, January 22.
Meanwhile, in Ondo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Kayode Obameye, 57, at Mobil Roundabout, Akure, on Friday, January 23, with 1,500 kilograms of skunk recovered from him.