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.   

Customs confiscates contraband worth N164.8m in Kebbi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kebbi Area Command has seized contraband worth N164.8 million in the state. Dr Ben Oramalugo, the Area Controller of NCS in the state, said this at a press conference on the achievements of the command on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi. He said, “We directed our officers to intensify surveillance in all the nooks and crannies of the state, having had credible intelligence on the impending activities of smugglers. “The following items were, therefore, seized during the period; 371 parcels of cannabis sativa, otherwise called Indian hemp, intercepted at Kawara water side, in Suru Local Government Area. “We also seized 98 packs of diazepam,10 sacks of snuff, 1,080 pieces of donkey skin, 37 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 300 litres of PMS, 16 bales of secondhand clothing and used Toyota Corolla as means of conveyance, among others.” The area comptroller pegged the duty paid value of the seized items at N164.8 million. On illegal drugs, he said the command had handed over cannabis sativa and hard drugs worth N94.8 million to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). “The seizure of such drugs is in line with the vow we made and our determination to rid the state of drug inflow and all items capable of causing harm to Nigerians,” he said. Alhaji Sulaiman Usman, the NDLEA Commander who received the drugs, thanked the NCS for its efforts in curtailing the menace of illegal importation of drugs and anti-smuggling activities in the state. “This is in line with the untiring effort and drive of our Chief Executive Officer/Chairman of NDLEA, Buba Marwa, in combatting the menace of drug abuse and smuggling in the country,” he said. He also condoled the command over the killing of two of its personnel on Aug. 24, by suspected bandits. Also, Alhaji Abdul-Razak Bashir, the state Commandant of Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, who received the seized donkey skin, lauded the customs for their sustained fight against smuggling of endangered species.