NDLEA intercepts 5.6m opioid pills in Kano

This is contained in a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that Nura Abdullahi, 38, and Tahir Muhammad Mukhtar, 42, were arrested in the Bacharawa area of Kano with 5, 404,000 pills of tramadol 250mg on January 14.

He said that Yusuf Umar, 50, was also nabbed at the Gadar Tamburawa area of the state on January 13, with 249,000 tablets of exol-5 by NDLEA operatives.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, two suspects — Ali Abubakar and Murtala Sani were arrested at the Ojodu Berger area of the state on Jan. 16, with 110kg of Indian hemp.

Babafemi added that 69kg of the same substance was recovered from the hideout of a fleeing suspect in Akerele, Surulere on the same day.

Also, not less than 2, 800 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup were recovered by NDLEA officers on Jan. 20, during a raid operation at Aleita, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“The suspected owner of the consignment, Jideofor Sochima is still at large.

“A total of 100, 510 pills of opioids were seized from a suspect, Ike Emmanuel, 35, on Thursday, Jan. 18 at Dan-Anacha village, Taraba state.

“NDLEA operatives in Abia state arrested 60-year-old Joseph Isiguzoro, as well as Emmanuel Eugene and Malachi Ndu in parts of Abia state with 34,200 pills of opioids.

“Isiguzoro was equally found with monetary exhibit totalling N2,885,045 only,” he said.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending officers and men of Kano, Lagos, FCT, and Abia commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week.

Marwa charged them to maintain the “flame of collaboration” with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders in their areas of responsibility.