Pregnant woman, others arrested over fake naira notes and illicit drugs

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested an eight-month pregnant woman, Favour Peter, Esther Adukwu, and Ochigbo Michael, in a series of coordinated raids in several states across the country.

The arrests of Peter, Adukwu, 27, and Michael, 39, reportedly led to the seizure of counterfeit notes of ₦3.2 million, and illicit substances.

Disclosing this development, the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, detailing the arrests and recoveries made by the agency over the past week.

“In separate incidents, the NDLEA officers intercepted large quantities of narcotics. In Lokoja, Kogi State, Aliyu Lawal was caught with 620 blocks of cannabis weighing 310kg, while Jama Obodo was intercepted with 10 sacks of cannabis weighing 98kg along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Expressway.

“In Calabar, Cross River State, a 40-year-old widow, Theodora Ita, was arrested for producing and selling a deadly new psychoactive substance known as ‘Combine.’ Additionally, Godwin Samuel was apprehended with 39.4kg of cannabis sativa in Calabar,” the statement quoted Babafemi as saying.

According to the NDLEA’s spokesperson, further operations in Kano, Imo, Ekiti, Edo, Ogun, and Ondo states resulted in the arrest of individuals involved in drug-trafficking and distribution.

Notably, Babafemi disclosed that Sani Mohammed and Christopher Eze were caught in possession of 900,000 opioid pills in Kano. At the same time, a logistics truck carrying 230 blocks of cannabis sativa was intercepted in Imo State.

In ongoing efforts to curb drug abuse, the NDLEA said its commands nationwide conducted various advocacy campaigns, including sensitisation lectures for students, military personnel, and local communities.

The Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) commended the agency’s efforts in reducing drug supply and intensifying advocacy for drug demand reduction.