NDLEA Intercepts Explosives, Meth Consignment

…Arrests Cameroonian in Nigerian military uniform

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of 32 pieces of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) believed to be for bandits’ camp in Niger state.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement yesterday, said this was part of the clampdowns during raids of drug joints and routes nationwide ahead of today’s inauguration of new administrations across the country.

According to Babafemi, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has since ordered the immediate transfer of a suspect, Musa Muhammadu, caught with the explosives last Monday, along Wawa road, Kainji, Niger state to the military.

In addition, he stated that barely a week after NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, intercepted a consignment of 30.1 kilogrammes methamphetamine going to London, UK, another shipment containing 379 grammes of the same illicit substance concealed in false bottom of six black soap containers, packed in a carton containing local hand fans, heading to Cyprus in Europe, were recovered at a courier company in Lagos, by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, in the agency.

He disclosed that in Adamawa state, operatives on stop and search patrol along Michika- Bazza road last Friday, arrested a Cameroonian, Ndawai Emma Ngalou with a pair of Nigerian Army camourflage uniform bearing Sunday U and two ATM cards belonging to Turaki Mohammed and Ekene Izuegunam.
“Two ladies: Bilkisu Yusuf, 33, and Kauna Katsina, 25, were last Monday arrested in Ningi town, Bauchi state with 11,080 pills of tramadol, while Uche Shadrach, 22, was arrested with 20,480 pills of the same pharmaceutical opioid last Wednesday along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state on his way from Onitsha, Anambra state to Minna, Niger state.

“In the same vein, two suspects: Surajo Adamu and Muhammad Ali were arrested last Friday with 379,200 tablets of diazepam in Alimosho area of Lagos, while the MMIA Command of the agency took custody of 22 cartons of tramadol 225mg weighing 1,144.3 kilogrammes and 12 cartons of tramadol 120mg with a total weight of 320 kilogrammes, all containing 2, 317, 400 pills transferred to the agency by the Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service last Thursday.
“In Delta state, NDLEA operatives supported by men drawn from the Nigerian Army, NSCDC and the Police last  Wednesday, raided the notorious Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA where three suspects: Eunice Eneh, 52; Animan Ifeoma, 26, and Chuks Dennis, 35, were arrested with a total of 343.9 kilogrammes cannabis recovered from them.

“A similar mop up operation in Bayelsa has led to the arrest of a wanted suspect, Ozoemena Egbochue, 38, at the Swali market in Yenagoa last Monday following the earlier arrest of his sales boy, Morgan Eredeowei with 11,748 pills of tramadol and diazepam,” the statement added.