Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted consignments of cocaine and opioids concealed in cartons bound for the United Kingdom and Australia, while also destroying 65,000 kilograms of skunk in coordinated anti-drug operations across the country.
The agency disclosed the seizures in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, the illicit consignments were uncovered at a courier company in Lagos during routine examination of export shipments destined for the UK and Australia.
“A total of 170 grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and concealed within the walls of a carton of clothes heading to Australia were recovered,” the statement said.
Babafemi added that another shipment bound for the United Kingdom contained “200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection” hidden inside a carton.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area, where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated across 11 hectares of farmland and recovered an additional 22.9 kilograms of the substance.
The agency said a 52-year-old suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, was arrested during a follow-up operation in Obiaruku.
In a separate operation at Orogun village in Ughelli North LGA, operatives destroyed another 37,500 kilograms of skunk spread over 15 hectares of farmland. Officers also recovered 55.4 kilograms of the drug and arrested a 30-year-old suspect identified as Godwin Vincent Osadera.
“This brings the total quantity of skunk destroyed by NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, in the two operations to 65,000 kilograms,” the statement noted.
In Kaduna State, operatives recovered 361 kilograms of skunk during a raid in the Dan Magaji area of Zaria, leading to the arrest of 42-year-old Husaini Suleiman.
The agency also intercepted a cache of military-grade ammunition along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Babafemi said “1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition concealed in fresh white cassava granules locally known as garri” were discovered in the possession of a 35-year-old suspect, Abdullahi Hassan.
He added that both the suspect and the recovered ammunition had been handed over to another security agency for further investigation.
In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives arrested a businessman, Ogadi Peter, who allegedly specialised in producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for social events.
The 29-year-old suspect was apprehended at his residence in the Life Camp area of Abuja following intelligence reports.
“800 grams of skunk and 2.70 kilograms of drug-laced cookies” were recovered from him, the statement added.
In Ogun State, officers recovered 181 kilograms of skunk from a suspect identified as Aliyu Sani during a raid in the Ogere area.
Similarly, in Taraba State, 27-year-old Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa was arrested along the Zaki-Biam road in Wukari LGA with “105,850 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5.”
Two suspects — Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25 — were also arrested in Oyo State following the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies at the Challenge II area of Saki town.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk during raids on farms located in Ago forest, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
The agency also recorded additional seizures in Kano State, where a 25-litre jerrycan of palm oil used to conceal 1.2 kilograms of tramaking 225mg pills was intercepted at Kofar Ruwa motor park.
Another suspect, Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested in the Sabuwar Sharada area with 30.5 kilograms of skunk.
Beyond enforcement operations, the NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse advocacy campaign continued in schools across Oyo, Niger, Lagos, Katsina, Ekiti and Kano states.
While commending officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised personnel across commands for maintaining a balance between enforcement and preventive advocacy.
Marwa “commended the officers and men of DOGI, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo, Taraba, Kano, FCT and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures recorded over the past week,” Babafemi stated.
He also applauded “their counterparts in commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.”
