NDLEA Intercepts Multi-billion Naira Trailer Loads Of Opioids, Codeine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted three trailer loads of opioids comprising 3,450,000 pills and 344,000 bottles of codeine syrup at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos State.

Operatives also arrested three suspects in connection with the seizure of the consignments.

The multi-billion naira illicit substances were loaded into two 40-ft container trucks and another 20-ft truck at the AML bonded terminal, Abule-Osun, near the International Trade Fair complex.

The NDLEA’s operatives traced the unlawful goods to a large warehouse at Abule-Ado where the suspects were eventually arrested and recovered the opioid consignments on Thursday 9th May 2024.

NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that “those arrested include the warehouse agent, Cosmas Obiajulu, 51; Ridwan Balogun, 25, and Banjo Tayo, 30, both drivers of two of the trucks while the third driver jumped off to escape arrest.”

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday May 7, arrested a suspect, Nwankwo Ejike in Coker area of Lagos where 100 litres of codeine syrup were recovered from him while 60 litres of the same substance were seized from Clinton Akinye in the same area same day.

Also, not less than 37.5kg of cannabis sativa loaded in a Toyota Camry car was recovered from another suspect, Adegbola Segun, 47, when the car was intercepted at Mile 12 area of Lagos on Monday May 6.

The anti-narcotic agency further said that another consignment of opioids consisting of 59,106 pills of tramadol and different quantities of codeine syrup and rohypnol being taken across the border to Garua, Cameroon was intercepted by its officers on Monday May 6, along Mubi-Yola road, Adamawa State.

“Two suspects linked to the drugs: Abubakar Auwal, 39, and Adamu Abubakar, 25, (a.k.a Bamanga), a trans-border trafficker who was to take the consignment from Mubi across to Cameroon were promptly arrested,” the NDLEA stated.

Meanwhile, a 75-year-old grandpa, Jibril Audu was on Friday May 10, arrested with 7.5 kilograms of cannabis at Oke-Asa Village, Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti State during a raid operation, while a 70-year-old grandma, Tikwase Nytor was nabbed with 15.6kg of same substance on Thursday May 9, during a raid operation at Achusa and International Market Road, Makurdi in Benue State.