NDLEA Busts Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue Drug Cartels, Recovers 843kg Skunk, Cocaine

Michael Olugbode

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have busted three major interstate drug cartels supplying illicit substances to some states in the north.

Recovered during the operations are skunk and cocaine weighing over 843 kilogrammes, with at least seven of the drug kingpins behind the syndicates arrested in separate raids carried out in Kogi, Nasarawa and Benue States by the NDLEA.

A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, said in a bid to evade the frequent road interdiction efforts by officers of the Kogi State command of the Agency, a cartel led by one Augustine Emmanuel, 45, opted to move its consignments through the waterways between Edo and Kogi States.

He said they were however intercepted on Monday July 12, 2021 at a jetty in Idah, Kogi State, where a Toyota Avalon car with registration number Lagos SMK 345 CG, loaded with 487 kilogrammes of cannabis and ferried across the waterways from Agenebode, Edo State to the jetty in Idah, was seized and the syndicate leader arrested.

Babafemi also disclosed that in Nasarawa State, a team of NDLEA operatives had on Thursday July 8 raided one of the most hostile drug joints in the state capital.

He said about 356 kilogrammes of cannabis and various psychotropic substances were recovered, with the arrest of four major drug dealers including the most notorious drug kingpin in state called “Boogie” whose real name is Muhammed Umar.

According to him, Boogie’s drug distribution tentacles cut across Kano, Plateau, Benue and parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Babafemi said curiously, some quantities of cocaine were intercepted in Benue on 8th, 9th and 13th of July. The first dealer, John Aondosoo, was arrested in Makurdi on Thursday with 28.6 grammes of crack cocaine and after initial interrogation, it was discovered that his supplier, Henry Ezeomah, would bring more supplies in the early hours of Friday from Obosi, Anambra.

He said working on the intel, the supplier was arrested last Friday with 29.17 grammes of crack cocaine.

Babafemi also disclosed that in another raid on Tuesday, July 13, the Benue command also seized some quantities of cocaine.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the commanders, officers and men of Kogi, Nasarawa and Benue commands of the agency for taking the war against illicit drugs in Nigeria to the doorsteps of the cartels.

He however charged them not to relent but remain resolute in their commitment to rid every community of the drug scourge.