NDLEA Nabs Man with 1,499 Bottles of Codeine Syrup in Kano
NDLEA operatives in Kano have arrested a 45-year-old man, Ashiru Bala, for allegedly possessing 1,499 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup transported from Abuja for illegal distribution. The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation under the agency’s ongoing “Operation Ramadan Mubarak.”
NDLEA intercepts 942 explosives en-route Zamfara, recovers 314,020 pills of tramadol
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a commercial vehicle loaded with 942 explosives along Kaduna-Zaria expressway. The Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja said the vehicle was coming from Nasarawa and heading to Zamfara. Babafemi said the explosives were concealed in a sack and the subsequent arrest of a 30-year-old suspect, Nura Muhammad. He said the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has directed that the suspect and exhibits be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further action. Meanwhile, five members of a syndicate led by one Aminu Musa were arrested on Wednesday, April 30, by NDLEA operatives at Dangoro market, Kano with 50 blocks of skunk weighing 21.6kg recovered from them. Also, in Edo state, operatives acting on intelligence on Thursday, May 1, intercepted at Uromi, Esan North-East, a white Toyota bus conveying assorted opioids from Onitsha to Auchi. “Recovered from the vehicle include: 314,020 pills of tramadol, rophynol, diazepam, exol5; 638 bottles of codeine syrup and 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection. “A suspect Dare Adeyemo was taken into custody,” Babafemi said. Similarly, a Mazda commercial bus marked XA343TSE was intercepted at Agu-Awka junction, Awka, Anambra by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday. Also, Babafemi said that a total of 50,400 capsules of tramadol, 500 tablets of co-codamol and 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection were recovered while a suspect Chinedu Eneh was arrested. In Niger state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Kontagora -Mokwa road on Saturday intercepted a Mitsubishi canter truck marked RBH 104 ZY. “A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 5,500 capsules of tramadol and 2,300 ampoules of pentazocine injection as well as the arrest of a suspect Yusuf Abubakar, 30”. Meanwhile, Babafemi said that after 10 months of painstaking investigation, NDLEA operatives had arrested a wanted drug kingpin, a 52-year-old Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd, Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku. He said that the suspect was arrested over his involvement in the importation of a consignment of 2,616,060 pills of tramadol 225mg intercepted by NDLEA at Apapa seaport in Lagos. “A follow-up operation at his house in Lekki led to the seizure of 51 wraps of Canadian Loud weighing 34grams,” Babafemi said.
NDLEA Updates Visa Clearance Procedure
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revised its visa clearance process by removing the requirement for married women to provide approval letters from their husbands. This regulation previously led to widespread criticism, with many condemning it as discriminatory and outdated. The agency explained that the decision is part of an ongoing overhaul of its visa clearance procedures. The controversial spousal approval rule, initially included due to specific issues in some source countries, has now been discarded. NDLEA assured the public that further updates on the revised procedure will be made available soon.
NDLEA arrests wanted drug baron ‘Barryshine’
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a wanted drug baron, Suleiman Aremu (also known as Barryshine). The agency stated that Aremu, who is the Managing Director/CEO of Barryshine Suleiman Nigeria Ltd, had been on its watchlist for two years for his alleged involvement in four failed attempts to export cocaine to Saudi Arabia and Qatar via Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, between 2022 and 2024. This was revealed in a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Friday. The statement read, “His name first appeared on 13 November 2022, when a female passenger on a Qatar Airways flight to Saudi Arabia, Alhaja Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, was arrested at the MMIA in possession of 400 grams of cocaine, concealed inside female footwear. “An investigation later revealed that one Abdullahi Ramon, the brother of Suleiman, hired the arrested drug courier. Further information emerged that the flight tickets and other travel expenses of the suspect were financed by Alhaji Suleiman Ganiu Aremu. “A few days after the arrest of Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, another drug mule, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga, was also arrested on 24 November 2022, with the same quantity of cocaine, 400 grams, concealed in male footwear while heading to the same destination, Saudi Arabia. The suspect, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga, confessed that one Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan (also known as Teacher), who was later arrested and convicted by the court, hired him on behalf of Suleiman. “Lawal further alleged that Wasiu Gbolahan linked him to the baron through one ‘Igbono’, who was later identified during the investigation as Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye (also known as Igbono, Murphy, Femi Iwaya, Ade Iwaya, Baba Eje, and Ejeoto). While the investigation of the two cases was ongoing and the manhunt for the baron continued, two drug mules were arrested at the MMIA on 21 June 2024, on their way to Doha, Qatar. “One of the suspects, later identified as Aikhomoun Daniel (also known as Oladapo Olanrewaju), expelled 90 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.022kg, which he had ingested, while the second suspect, Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, excreted 60 wraps of cocaine, with a total weight of 662 grams.” Babafemi stated that further investigations revealed that the two arrested couriers, Aikhomoun Daniel, and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, were recruited by the same ‘Igbono’ who works for the baron and had also been involved in the 2022 arrests of Ajisegiri Sidika and Lawal Oyenuga. He added that a financial investigation by the agency linked the baron, Suleiman, to the arrested suspects and two of his associates, who recruited traffickers for him: Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon, both of whom are currently at large. “As a result, the agency blocked the bank accounts linked to members of the cartel, after which Suleiman was eventually taken into custody on 26 August 2024 for further investigation. “In his statement, Suleiman claimed to be involved in property development and hotel management while residing in Lagos and Paris, France. He also stated that he runs another business selling clothes with his wife at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, adding that his regular visits to Saudi Arabia were for the lesser Hajj pilgrimage. He said he holds the traditional title of Akeweje of Yaba (Youth Leader of Yaba Land). Some of Suleiman’s properties that have been traced include two houses at 63 and 72 Queens Street, Ebute-Meta, and his Barryshine hotel at 95 Freeman Street, Yaba, Lagos,” Babafemi added. Babafemi also mentioned that Justice Dipeolu Isaac of the Federal High Court, Lagos, granted an application by the NDLEA for the extension of Suleiman’s detention for 30 days and to declare his two associates, Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon, both currently at large, wanted
NDLEA Busts ‘Unholy Alliance’ Illicit Drugs Party, Arrests Organisers
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives on Saturday raided a lounge in Osogbo where a weird party organised for illicit substance abuse was to hold. The operatives arrested some of the organisers who were found with the drug exhibits. NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja, that the raid followed credible intelligence report that a night party tagged: “Unholy Alliance for Stoners and Drunkards’’ was to hold at the lounge. He stated that different types of illicit substances were to be sold and consumed by the revellers. “Soon after the organisers began to gather at Berrymist Lounge located at Ofatedo Area of Osogbo to start the party, NDLEA operatives swooped in on them. “The operatives arrested the organisers and seized illicit substances and drug paraphernalia from them. “Those arrested included Ikotu Omolayo (25), Fola Olabode (30) and Akorede Adunni Ajibola (22). The management of the lounge has also been invited for investigation. “This comes on the heels of an earlier raid on Thursday, November 23 at Area 5 Forest Reserve, Ile-Ife, also in Osun where operatives recovered 156kg of Indian hemp,’’ Babafemi stated.
NDLEA Seizes 2 Tons Of Illicit Drugs In Lagos, Kogi, 5 Other States
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted more than two tons of illicit substances in Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Anambra, Ondo and Kogi in the last one week. Its spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday in Abuja, that the agency’s operatives stormed a warehouse at Obi Camp in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo on Monday, Nov. 20. They seized 338kg of Indian hemp concealed in sacks of charcoal in the raid. NDLEA operatives also raided Ikhin Forest in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo on Saturday, Nov. 25 and seized 235kg of the same psychoactive substance. “A suspect, Onah Ikechukwu (32) was arrested at Jattu in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, Nov. 22. “The operatives seized 11,690 capsules of tramadol, 295 bottles of codeine syrup and various quantities of Molly, Indian hemp and Methamphetamine from the suspect. “Another raid on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at Enu-Owa Street, Lagos Island, led to the seizure of 40,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 440,000 pills of tramadol in a store belonging to one fleeing Ebuka Amechi. “Not less than 135,600 capsules of tramadol and 950gm of Indian hemp were seized from two suspects – Afamefuna Ibekwe (37), and Sunday Onweh (41) at Nkpor, Akuzor and Ose-Ogbaijo, Onitsha, respectively,’’ he stated. Babafemi added that 37,360 pills of different psychoactive drugs and 250 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered from one Muhammed Khamis (22) on Thursday, Nov. 23 on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Expressway. The drugs were being transported from Onitsha, Anambra to Abuja, Babafemi stated. NDLEA operatives in Ekiti seized 288kg of Indian hemp at Odo-Owa Forest in Ijero Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, Nov. 25. “At least, 116kg of Indian hemp were seized from a suspect, Chinagoram Obaru (24) who was arrested at Iju Forest on Thursday, Nov. 23,’’ he added. Babafemi also stated that 859kg of Indian hemp, concealed among bags of sugar in a truck for onward transportation to Mokwa, Niger state were recovered. The consignment, he added, was loaded at Ogbese in Ondo State and hidden among bags of cement in a truck before it was trans-loaded into another articulated vehicle in Ogun. On Friday, Nov. 24, NDLEA operatives in Ogun arrested two suspects – Adamu Ibrahim and Nura Sani at Ileke trailer garage, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers and men over the seizures and arrests. He charged them to remain vigilant and to double their efforts, especially as criminal networks had become desperate to make quick money preparatory to the Yuletide season.
NDLEA Nabs Notorious Drug Kingpin, Accomplices In Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has captured Ibrahim Momoh, popularly known as Ibrahim Bendel, a major distributor of illegal substances in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Monday, the arrest took place during a raid on Momoh’s hideout at Filin Dabo, Dei-Dei area, seven years after his escape from prison custody. Momoh, previously convicted for drug dealing, absconded while serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence in 2016. “Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives raided Momoh’s warehouse, recovering 1,278kg of Cannabis sativa hidden in 81 jumbo bags,” Babafemi stated. The drug lord’s warehouse was discreetly situated within his poultry farm, with his manager, Richard Forson Gordon, a 55-year-old Ghanaian, apprehended during the operation and subsequently sentenced to two years in jail. Continuing their pursuit, NDLEA operatives finally captured Momoh on November 5, 2022, in another raid at his hideout in Filin Dabo, seizing 56.9kg of Cannabis sativa and 42.7 grams of Diazepam. Additionally, during a separate operation in the FCT, a 27-year-old suspect named Yusufa Ibrahim was arrested with 75.3kg of cannabis. The NDLEA said it remains resolute in its efforts to curb illicit drug activities within the FCT, ensuring the law is upheld and perpetrators face justice.
NDLEA Seizes 6 Tons Of Skunk In 5 States
NDLEA has intercepted more than six tons of skunk in Ondo, Oyo, Lagos, Edo and Gombe states. Its spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi stated in Abuja on Sunday that 2,197kg of skunk were recovered in four interdictions in parts of Ondo State within four days. He explained that 1,165.5kg of skunk were seized in Uso, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Wednesday, while 691kgs of the drugs were recovered at Ukugu Forest in Ipele, in the state on Tuesday. “A suspect, Ifeanyi Abuguja, 32, was arrested with 87kg of same substance on Monday, October 23 at Agula Road, Ogbese, in Akure North Local Government Area of the state. “At Ogbese Market in the same local government area of Ondo State, 253.5kg of the substance were recovered on Thursday, October 26,’’ he stated. Babafemi added that, two suspects, Ayo Dele, 19, and Olaitan Ahmed, 23, were arrested with 160gm of Indian hemp at a drug joint at Inalende area of Ibadan on Sunday, October 22. A follow-up operation at a warehouse in the area led to the recovery of 332kg of Indian hemp, he stated. The spokesman also stated that NDLEA operatives of the Lagos Command recovered a vehicle loaded with 209kg of “Loud’’ at Okun Ajah area of the state on Monday, October 23. Babafemi added that NDLEA operatives in Gombe State recovered an abandoned consignment of 401 blocks of Indian hemp on Saturday. The consignment weighed 392kg, he stated, adding that 21,000 capsules of tramadol were also recovered at Tumfure area of Gombe. “In the early hours of Sunday, October 29, NDLEA operatives in Edo stormed the Utese Forest in Ovia North East Local Government Area. “The operatives evacuated 2,931.3kg of Indian hemp from a warehouse in the forest,’’ Babafemi stated.
NDLEA Nabs Cocaine, Heroin Ingesting Businessmen Bound For Hong Kong, France
NDLEA operatives arrested one Chimamkpa Emenike (38) on October 20 and one Agbo Chidike (41) on October 21 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for ingesting hard drugs. Emenike was jetting out to France with his ingested heroin while Chidike was on his way to Hong Kong with cocaine in his belly when they were arrested. Director, Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja, that Emenike was arrested at the boarding gate of the airport while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris. He added that Chidike was taken into custody on October 21 while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Hong Kong via Addis Ababa. “After days in custody, Emenike excreted 72 wraps of heroin weighing 1.171kg, while Chidike discharged 49 pellets of cocaine weighing 998.53gm. “In his statement, Chidike claimed he is a businessman dealing in spare parts at the Alaba International market in Ojo area of Lagos. “Chidike was to be paid N3.5 million which he intended to use to import goods from Hong Kong,’’ Babafemi stated. He added that NDLEA operatives intercepted a Qatar Airways passenger, Agbo Tochukwu, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on Wednesday, October 25 while on his way to Oman. The suspect had 58 parcels of skunk weighing 29.10kg on him while undergoing processes of boarding his flight. “In his statement, Tochukwu claimed he migrated to Oman on May 6 and had been working as hotel attendant there before venturing into drug trafficking,’’ Babafemi stated.
Q3: NDLEA Has Seized N80m Worth Of Drugs, Arrested 134 Suspects -Commander
The National Drug Law, Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) FCT command has seized 3,988.74 kilograms of assorted drugs with a monetary value of N80milion. The FCT Commander of Narcotics, (CN) Mr Kabir Tsakuwa disclosed this in Abuja. Tsakuwa however, said that a total of 134 suspected drug traffickers, peddlers and abusers were also arrested in the same period. He named the assorted drugs as cannabis Sativa, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Tramadol, Rohypnol and Diazepam. He added that the major drug seized by the Operatives of the NDLEA was cannabis sativa adding that many suspects were prosecuted and convicted in the same period. According to him, cannabis sativa seized within the same period are 3,861.789kg while cocaine intercepted were 0.038Kg “Others includes diazepam which weighs 13.63Kg, Tramadol weighs 105.136Kg while Methamphetamine weighs 3.024Kg, Ectasy weighs 0.009kg with Pentazocine weighing 1.070Kg. “134 suspected drugs users and traffickers were arrested in third quarter in which 128 are males and six are females. “The total street value of drugs seized within the same period is about Eighty Million Naira (N80m). “One hundred and four (104) suspects were prosecuted, out of which 27 were convicted,” he said. Speaking on what the command had been doing to ensure reduction of usage and trafficking of illicit drugs in the FCT, the NDLEA boss said that the Command had a balanced approach in drug control strategy. This, he said was via drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction as they both complemented each other. He said the demand reduction was aimed at preventive measures while the supply reduction strategy was about enforcement duties. He said “under the preventive strategy, we have a sustainable intensive sensitisation and public enlightenment programme using the platform of “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA). Tsakuwa said that WADA was a social advocacy campaign designed to get every Nigerian involved in the task of ridding the country of illicit substance. “We organised programmes in schools, corporate organisations, religious places of worship (Mosques and Churches), etc. to ensure involvement of all stakeholders. “We collaborate with quite a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to carry out sensitisation. “We also provide support systems for drug dependent individuals through counseling at our rehabilitation centre that is manned by well learned counseling experts. “Clients are counseled for a period of three, six and 12 months depending on the level of addiction of the individual. “Under Supply reduction, we embark on arrest of drug offenders, investigation and prosecution,” he said.