By; ABDULL-AZEEZ AHMED KADIR, Kaduna.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Kaduna State Command has raided a warehouse in Zaria city confiscating 65 cartons of expired contraband drug worth over fifty million naira (N50M).
The State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Samule Azige who disclosed this while parading 7 suspects arrested for various offences related to drug peddling in Kaduna Tuesday, affirmed that the contraband drug has been banned by the World Health Organization (WHO) and no longer in use, hence the need for the raid following a tip-off.
According to him, even as the drug is banned from getting into the country, some criminal elements still bring it in the drugs and sell to the citizens which compound their health challenges.
“As you can see, we are able to seize 65 Unpalido, now this Unpalido is a ban product by the World Health Organization and no longer in use like chloroquine, so it is completely banned. You find out the some criminal elements still bring this drugs and sell it to the people and this will compound their health problem” he said.
Mr. Azige stressed that the Agency was lucky to get the information in time before the owner distribute it for sell, saying the Agency has to strike at the warehouse where the drug was kept and were able to recover it.
“If you allow the drug to go into the society or into circulation, a lot of people are going to die.
“We are lucky we got the information and then we strike at the warehouse where these drugs were kept and we were able to recovered 65 carton of Unpalido. We have weight these drugs and it gives us a total of 540 Kgs, now if you allow this drugs go into circulation, l can bet you that a lot of people are going to die by consuming it because for one, it is banned drugs. Two it is no longer recommended for use, and three, it has expired. I have briefed Governor Nasir El-Rufai and he is very much happy for the discovery” he said.
The Commander opined that this is what the Agency and the people in the State faced. He used the opportunity to commend the people of Zaria city for the vital information and appealed to the public to continue to give the Agency useful information to rid the State of fake, expired and deadly drugs.
He called on the members of Patent Dealers Association to go into legitimate trade, asserting that the contraband is completely illegal and the punishment for dealing on expired and fake drugs substance is prison.
Mr. Azige revealed that the owner of the substance is at large but the premises have been seal-off, saying the Agency is on his trail and promised to apprehend him for prosecution.
Meanwhile, one of the suspect, Adamu Abubakar pleaded innocent saying, he only boarded a vehicle along Kaduna-Abuja express but when they were stopped by NDLEA operatives, they found marijuana in the car, the passengers quickly informed the operatives that the bag belongs to him, an allegation he refuted.
Another suspect, Hashim Kashim who was arrested in Tudun Wada in Kaduna South for selling tramadol said he is sorry for his action because some people asked him to supply them the drugs and he was in dear need of the money.
The State Commander however advised Nigerian youth to keep away from drug if they want to succeed in life as drug destroys hopes and aspirations.
