NDLEA Seizes 426,888 Tramadol pills Smuggled in Car Compartments, destroys Cannabis farms in Edo forest

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported intercepting about 426,888 Tramadol pills shipments concealed in car compartments and the tires of transport buses.
In Adamawa and Bauchi states, they seized 426,888 Tramadol pills and other illegal substances, while also eliminating over three tons of Cannabis in an Edo State forest.

On Wednesday, anti-narcotic agency operatives in Adamawa State apprehended two wanted suspects, Ajim Samuel (30 years old, aka Boss) and Davidson John Joshua (36 years old, aka Dantala). The suspects were captured on their journey from Onitsha, Anambra State, where they had purchased a consignment of tramadol (14,428 pills) hidden in the body compartments of their black Honda Civic (YLA 623 SL) along Numan-Jalingo Road. Additionally, they were found with 21 grams of cannabis and N19,280 in cash.

In Osun State, a 49-year-old commercial bus driver, Ogunleye Adegoke, was arrested on Gbongan-Ibadan Road after NDLEA operatives discovered 2,000 tramadol capsules, 60 rohypnol tablets, and 10 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in his vehicle’s spare tyre compartment.

Lawan Abubakar (33) was caught with 343,000 opioid pills in Azare town, Katagum, Bauchi State. On the same day, Muhammadu Rabi’u (37) was transferred by the Nigerian Army to the Bauchi state command of NDLEA with 64,000 tramadol pills seized from him. In Sagamu Interchange, Ogun State, NDLEA officers seized 24kg of cannabis from a transport company driver named Ikechukwu Obialo on March 13th. In Kano, Ali Amadu (27) and Adamu Hassan (33) were arrested with 125.3kg of cannabis, 3,400 tramadol pills, and 30 codeine syrup bottles.

Also, 118 kilograms of cannabis were found in a warehouse in Masaka, Nasarawa State, and in Edo State, Kole Samuel (50) was arrested with 75kg of cannabis. NDLEA operatives also destroyed 3,944.2075 kilograms of cannabis on 1.577683 hectares of farmland in the Oloma-Okpe forest in Akoko Edo LGA.

Throughout the week, NDLEA’s various commands nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign. This included WADA sensitization lectures for students and teachers in different schools across Adamawa, Yobe, Lagos, and Enugu states, along with a WADA advocacy visit to the paramount ruler of Alesa-Eleme kingdom, Emperor JD Nkpe II, in Rivers State.

The statement which disclosed these by Femi Babafemi, the agency spokesman partly reads:

“While a total of 343,000 pills of opioids were seized by NDLEA officers from a suspect, Lawan Abubakar, 33, in Azare town, Katagum, Bauchi state on Friday 15th March, same day the Nigerian Army transferred a suspect, Muhammadu Rabi’u, 37, with 64,000 pills of tramadol recovered from him to the Bauchi state command of NDLEA.

“At least, 24kg of cannabis was seized from the driver of a transport company, Ikechukwu Obialo, at Sagamu Interchange, Ogun State by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 13th March, while in Kano, two suspects: Ali Amadu, 27, and Adamu Hassan, 33, were nabbed with a total of 125.3kg cannabis; 3,400 pills of tramadol; and 30 bottles of codeine syrup. They were arrested on Monday 11th March at Gadar Tamburawa area, and Friday 15th March at Tsamiya Babba, Hotoro respectively.

“While 118 kilograms of cannabis were recovered from a warehouse in Masaka area of Nasarawa state on Saturday 16th March, NDLEA operatives in Edo state on Thursday 14th March arrested a suspect, Kole Samuel, 50, with 75kg of same psychoactive substance at market area, Otuo, Owan East LGA. Same day, operatives raided the Oloma-Okpe forest in Akoko Edo LGA where they destroyed 3,944.2075 kilograms of cannabis on 1.577683 hectares of farmland.              

“With the same vigour, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of Government Day Secondary School, Michika, Adamawa; students and staff of Nana Aisha Secondary School, Damaturu, Yobe; students of Dee Unique International School, Abesan, Ipaja, Lagos and students and staff of Purple Crown Secondary School, Uwani, Enugu as well as a WADA advocacy visit to the paramount ruler of Alesa -Eleme kingdom, Emperor JD Nkpe 11, Rivers State.”