Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a massive haul of 6,125 cartons of codeine syrup containing 1,050,000 bottles, valued at N7.35 billion in street worth.
The seizure, made at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, on Saturday, June 29, 2024, is the third such interception in four weeks.
According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the operation followed credible intelligence and meticulous tracking of the consignments from their departure port.
A special operations unit of the NDLEA, in collaboration with the Port Harcourt Ports Command and other security agencies, including the Customs Service, conducted a thorough examination of the six targeted containers. The examination revealed 157,500 kilogrammes of codeine syrup.
In another development, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos arrested two passengers bound for Doha on a Qatar Airways flight. On June 21, 2024, the suspects, Aikhomoun Daniel (alias Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, tested positive for ingesting illicit substances. Daniel excreted 90 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.022kg, while Ayigoro discharged 60 wraps totaling 662 grams. Investigations revealed Daniel had stolen his late uncle’s identity to obtain a Schengen visa for travel to Europe.
On June 28, 2024, NDLEA operatives recovered 40.32kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from a black Toyota Tacoma truck along Lekki-Ikoyi road after the driver abandoned the vehicle upon spotting the agents.
In Abuja, NDLEA operatives disrupted a drug party on June 29, 2024, arresting 60 suspects (25 males and 35 females) at an apartment in Sun City Estate.
The party, organized by Stanley Ikechukwu, saw the seizure of various quantities of ecstasy and cannabis from six individuals. NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), directed the unconditional release of 20 suspects who tested negative for drugs. The 33 who tested positive were released on bail and will report to the FCT Command for treatment and counseling.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives arrested four suspects in a deep forest in Ugun, Igueben LGA, and destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis across 7.45 hectares of farmland.
Across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities. Recent WADA activities included lectures at First Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa; Ezeike High School, Nibo, Anambra; Mount Zion Anglican Church, Igoba, Akure, Ondo State; and a visit to the palace of the Oba of Yoruba in Kano, Dr. Murtala Alimi Otitese.
Brig. Gen. Marwa praised the efforts of NDLEA officers across various commands for their vigilance and successes in arrests and seizures. He warned drug cartels that the agency, in collaboration with other stakeholders, remains dedicated to disrupting their operations. He urged his officers to maintain their balanced approach to drug control efforts.
