In three significant drug cartel busts in Amuwo Odofin, Idumota, and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO), shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, agents of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seized no fewer than fourteen million, four hundred and eighty one thousand, five hundred and nineteen, (14, 481, 519) pills of Tramadol and bottles of codeine syrup worth over thirteen billionaira (N13,000,000,000) in street value.
The three intelligence-led operations started with the raid of House 8/10 Hon. Wahuha Avenue, Divine Estate, Ago Palace area of Amuwo Odofin on Sunday, October 29. During this raid, 490,000 tramadol pills and 81,519 bottles of codeine syrup measuring 4, 510, 000mls were recovered, according to the agency's weekly report made public by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
"On Tuesday, October 31, NDLEA agents raided a covert warehouse run by Idumota billionaire Nwaoha Anayo, situated in Onitire, Aguda neighborhood of Surulere, where twelve million seven hundred thousand, or 12, 700, 000, tramadol tablets were found.”
One million two hundred and ten thousand, or 1,210, 000, tramadol pills were seized from at least six members of a syndicate who were using their official cover to facilitate the smuggling of illicit drugs into the country through the SAHCO warehouse at the Lagos airport, according to the report. The operation took place over several weeks, and the drugs were found.
The report states that three suspects—Sarki Mubarak Salami, Abdullahi Aliyu (aka Aboki), and Monday Anwal—are currently on the run and wanted by the NDLEA, while the other six suspects—Lawal Itunu Temitope, Sanamo Alla Daniel, Udeh Felix Monday, Musa Mutalib, and Unege Evans Icibor—are in custody of the agency.
During the outbound clearance of Air France flight AF 878 to Amsterdam, Netherlands via Paris, France on Sunday, October 29, at the boarding gate, NDLEA agents stopped Nwokolo Ifeanyi Anthony, a 50-year-old businessman, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja. Anthony was subjected to a body scan. The results showed that the subject had consumed illegal drugs.
After traveling from Lagos to the airplane, the suspect was placed under monitoring for a few days, during which he passed out 86 heroin pellets totaling 1.330 kg.
Similarly, on Monday, October 30, NDLEA agents from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), affiliated with courier companies, discovered 22 packages of cocaine hidden within the walls of a carton carrying locally made textiles known as Aso Oke that was being shipped to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
While one blind member of the syndicate is still at large, three blind guys running an illegal narcotics operation between Lagos and Kano have been caught.
The group's activities came to an end on Saturday, October 28, when Adamu Hassan, 40, a blind suspect, was apprehended with 12 kg of skunk while traveling from Lagos to Kano along the Gwagwalada Expressway in Abuja. However, investigations revealed that he had no idea what was in the bag that had been given to him to deliver in Kano. As a result, follow-up operations resulted in the 45-year-old blind syndicate leader Bello Abubakar's arrest.
Bello, a married father of five children, claimed in his testimony that he has lived in Lagos for thirty years but only began dealing drugs five years ago.
Muktar Abubakar, a 59-year-old suspect, is also blind and has lived in Lagos for 40 years. He has three wives and fourteen children. The business is jointly owned by Muktar and Bello Abubakar. Akilu Amadu, a 25-year-old blind suspect, also contributes money to the criminal enterprise and was the one who handed the package to Adamu at the Lagos vehicle park for delivery in Kano.
Mallam Aminu, another blind suspect who was supposed to receive the consignment in Kano, is out of control right now.
Along with other places, Osun and Ogun have also seen further arrests and seizures.
The organization declared that in order to protect Nigerians from drug abuse, it will keep stepping up its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba-Marwa, (Retd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended officers and men of the agency and partner agencies for the arrests and seizures of the previous week. He charged them, as well as their compatriots across the nation, to stay focused as the agency expands its operations against drug cartels.
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