NDLEA arrests 1,016 drug suspects in Kano, seizes 9 tons of illicit drugs

 

.Arrests Qatar-based businessman, others over drug trafficking

 

NDLEA arrested 1,016 suspects and seized nine tons of illicit drugs in Kano State in 2023.

 

Commandant of the agency in Kano State, Mr Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Kano that suspects arrested were 40 females and 976 males.

 

He said the agency secured 102 convictions in the out-going year, secured forfeiture of five vehicles just as 104 cases were still pending in court.

 

Idris-Ahmad also told NAN that drugs seized were 6,098kg of Indian hemp, 1,696kg of codeine and tramadol, and 1,335kg of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

 

“We rehabilitated 70 clients, investigated 598 visa clearance applications and conducted 245 substance abuse tests, out of which six persons tested positive for different drug abuses.

 

“We also sensitised 5,000 individuals and engaged Drug Demand Reduction professionals who counselled 1,459 persons,’’ Idris-Ahmad said.

 

The command also destroyed more than 15 tons of assorted narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in 2023, he added.

 

He reiterated the command’s commitment to ensuring the well-being and safety of communities from devastating consequences of drug abuse.

 

“We will intensify efforts at dismantling drug networks, rehabilitate those in need, secure convictions and destroy illicit substances leaving no room for drug trade to flourish,’’ Idris-Ahmad assured. (NAN)

Also, NDLEA has  arrested a Qatar-based businessman, Agu Amobi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on Saturday as he was travelling to Doha with 1.3kg of Indian hemp concealed in a bag of foodstuffs.

Its spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja that Amobi claimed to have been living and working in Doha for more than 10 years.

He also claimed to have bought the Indian hemp in Enugu to deliver in Doha to enable him to pay his rents in Qatar and in Nigeria and to offset the school fees of his three children.

The NDLEA also arrested one Uchegbu Obi at the airport following the seizure of 72,000 pills of tramadol from him.

He was attempting to ship the drugs packed in a carton, weighing 38.5kg to Kano on a local flight when he was arrested.

Babafemi stated also that on Christmas Day, NDLEA operatives intercepted the trio of Musa Sani, Mohammed Ibrahim and Adamu Usman on Nguru-Gashua Road in Yobe.

They were arrested in a truck conveying 39 blocks of Indian hemp weighing 15.7kg and 128,500 pills of psychoactive drugs.

“A follow-up operation on Boxing Day led to the arrest of the owner of the Indian hemp, Ali Ibrahim in Geidam.

“Additional 208 blocks of Indian hemp were recovered from Ibrahim’s house, bringing the total to 247 blocks weighing 94.74kg.

“The owner of the psychoactive drugs, Mustapha Goni was equally arrested,’’ Babafemi stated.

In Imo, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial bus driven by one Peter Orji (42) on Christmas Eve, while on patrol on Owerri-Onitsha Expressway

Orji was conveying 400 bottles of codeine syrup and 7,590 pills of other psychoactive drugs including tramadol to Port-Harcourt, when he was apprehended.

In Kano, David Michael (52) was arrested at Unguwa Ukku area on Dec. 24 with 49 blocks of Indian hemp weighing 42.6kg.

Umar Abdullahi (27) was nabbed with 27,350 pills of psychoactive drugs at Gadar Tamburawa area of the city same day.

A 45-year-old Yusuf Yahaya was arrested also on Christmas Eve as he was taking 31kg of Indian hemp to Kebbi in a commercial bus which took off from Ibadan.

“Preliminary investigation showed that Yahaya supplies illicit drugs to bandits in Kebbi and Zamfara,’’ Babafemi stated