By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
No fewer than 11 suspects were arrested in six states across the country by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over large quantities of assorted illicit drugs, amongst them, an ex-convict and two others in Kano State in connection with 106kgs of cannabis.
Identified as Aminu Suleiman, 46, the ex-convict, as learnt was apprehended along with two others named Haruna Abdurrahaman, 41, and Ojo Joseph Esezobor, 34, at Gadar Tamburawa area of the state on Saturday October 14, with the exhibit recovered from them.
In a statement made available to journalists on Sunday by the Director Media and Advocacy of NDLEA Femi Babafemi, Aminu was first arrested with 22kgs of cannabis on June 3, 2022 and convicted by the court on 24th November 2022.
In the same vein, Babafemi said four others Identified as Inusa Fugu Ali, Yahaya Musa, Abba Audu, Ali Abubakar, and Bunu Kyari were also arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Monday October 16, for dealing in 75.3kgs of skunk.
He added that, “In Imo state, operatives on Sunday October 15, intercepted a Mercedes Benz container truck marked ABN 418 YN parked in an isolated area along Owerri – Onitsha expressway.
” A search of the abandoned truck led to the recovery of 168 bags of skunk weighing 1, 854 kilograms.
” Not less than 1,381.3kgs of the same substance were seized in four interdiction operations in parts of Edo state including: Ekpon community, Igueben LGA; Iguiye forest in Ovia North East LGA; Iruekpen, Ndokwa West where a suspect, Monday Samuel Nwocha was arrested and Egwalor village in Onwude LGA where the duo of Obune Prince and Chika Obi was arrested and their Audi 80 salon car marked BEN 406 CL loaded with cannabis sativa, recovered.
” In Kano State, an ex-convict, Aminu Suleiman, 46, was arrested along with Haruna Abdurrahaman, 41, and Ojo Joseph Esezobor, 34, at Gadar Tamburawa area of the state on Saturday 14th October while 106kgs of cannabis were recovered from them.
” Aminu was first arrested with 22kgs of cannabis on 3rd June 2022 and convicted by the court on 24th November 2022. Four other suspects: Inusa Fugu Ali, Yahaya Musa, Abba Audu, Ali Abubakar, and Bunu Kyari were also arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Monday 16th October for dealing in 75.3kgs of skunk.
” While operatives of the Zone J Command of the Agency seized 478kgs of cannabis in a forest in Ikere Ekiti on Friday 20th October, those of Ondo state command recovered a total of 928kgs of the same substance in a bush by Shagari market, along Ifon-Owo express road, and Ibola camp, Ipele forest.
” In Borno state, a suspect, Sani Mohammed, 31, was arrested on Saturday 21st October with 182kgs of cannabis at Njimtilo, along Maiduguri – Damaturu road”.
The NDLEA spokesperson stated that Commands across the 36 states and the FCT equally continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation lectures in schools, communities, work places and others.
Some of these, according to him, include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Ogborhill Secondary School, Aba, Abia state; WADA sensitisation lecture to Students of Nana Aisha Memorial Islamiyya Secondary School, Buba-Shongo, Gombe; WADA sensitisation lecture at Awe High School, Awe, same at Smiles and Surprises Academy, Onna, Akwa Ibom; WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Sango High School, Ijoko, Ogun state, while the Zone C Command of NDLEA along with Kwara state command also had WADA sensitisation town hall meeting with principals of secondary schools from five local government areas of the state.
Commending the arrests and seizures of the past week by officers and men of the NAIA, MMIA, Imo, Ondo, Kano, Edo, Zone J Commands as well as those of DOGI, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) charged them and their compatriots across all formations of the Agency to continue to remain vigilant and double their efforts especially with the desperation of criminal networks to make money by all means towards the end of the year season.
