NDLEA seizes 825,000 opioid pills across Kano, Adamawa, Kogi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted no fewer than 825,000 opioid pills in separate operations across Kano, Adamawa and Kogi States.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Abuja by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi.

According to him, operatives in Lokoja, Kogi State, arrested a suspect at Idah Waterside on August 20 after he ferried drugs across the River Niger from Onitsha, Anambra State. The operation yielded 5,000 tramadol capsules, 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection.

In Kano, Babafemi said operatives arrested two suspects, aged 25 and 24, at Zangon Dakata, Ungogo, on August 19 with 5,850 capsules of pregabalin. A separate raid at Rangaza, Ungogo, led to the recovery of 452,070 opioid pills from the residence of a suspect now at large.

Similarly, a 35-year-old was arrested at Tashan Rami with 140 litres of codeine syrup, while on August 23, operatives seized 7,000 tramadol capsules from a 29-year-old suspect along the Zaria–Kano road.

Babafemi further disclosed that NDLEA operatives in Kwara State seized a total of 2,289.49 kilograms of cannabis (skunk) in three separate interdiction operations.

On August 20, 1,232.86kg was recovered from a Mitsubishi Canter truck at Ajase-Ipo, while 328.42kg was seized the same day from a Mercedes Benz truck in the same area. Another 728.21kg consignment was intercepted the following day at Ajase-Ipo junction, Ifelodun LGA, with suspects arrested in each case.

In Ekiti State, two men aged 50 and 54 were also arrested at Alafia Quarters, Ikere-Ekiti, in connection with 96kg of cannabis recovered by the agency.

Babafemi reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to intensifying its nationwide offensive against drug trafficking and abuse.