By Tola Gbadamosi

Nabs barons

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have seized over 44,948 kilograms of illicit drugs, about 44.9 tonnes, in Ondo, Lagos and Edo States.

Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, made the disclosure on Sunday in Abuja.

He said eight suspects have been arrested while 11 vehicles were seized from the drug barons during the operation.

According to him, 7, 687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest, Akure, Ondo state with another 670kg evacuated, last Saturday.

Speaking on the development with The Hope on Sunday, the Ondo NDLEA Commander, Mr Mumuni Raji, revealed that during the exercise in the state, 632 bags of Cannabis weighing  670kg were destroyed at Ago-Igbo area of Oke Ala in Akure South Local Government area of the state.

According to him, nobody was arrested as the suspects who saw them from a distance being a hilly area and difficult terrain took to their heels.

“We brought 56 bags and destroyed 555 bags in the forest, weighing 670 Kg. We crossed many rivers and hills before we were able to get to the location. These people are properly armed and ready for anything. They saw us from the top of the hill and ran away before we got to the location”, he further hinted.

The Commander advised those indulging in illicit activities in the state to abstain from such criminal act, saying the command will not rest until criminals are brought to book.

Meanwhile, Babafemi added that in Lagos, a well-coordinated operation on March 20, led to the seizure of 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud.

“The strain of cannabis was intercepted in Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel,” the NDLEA spokesman said.

He added that in another raid on Friday at Ago Palace way area of Lagos, a suspect, Miracle Obi, was arrested with 1,006 pentazocine injection, 50 tablets of tramadol, 89 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2,360 ampoules of Diazepam injection.

The spokesperson of the anti-narcotics agency, said another suspect, Kareem Mustapha, was nabbed on March 19, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 25,000 pills of tramadol and 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

He said 14,310.8625kg of same substance grown on 5.7 hectares farms was destroyed in Ohosu-Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West Local Government Area of, Edo, on Tuesday.

Babafemi also noted that NDLEA operatives evacuated 670kg cannabis on Saturday, while five suspects were arrested.

The suspects include 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44.

Babafemi disclosed that in another operation in Uzebba-Avbiosi forest on Thursday, over 6,500kg of marijuana grown on a 2.6 hectare farm was uncovered and destroyed.

Three suspects: Kabiru Idris, 36; Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested.

He also said another operation conducted with the support of the military led to the burning down of 5,000kg of the substance in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA on Friday.