By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
DRUG TRAFICKING syndicates operating across Nigeria and Cameroon suffered a major blow as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) dismantled their networks, seizing cocaine and opioids worth billions of naira. NDLEA arrested six prominent figures tied to cartels supplying psychoactive substances to terror networks.
After months of intelligence gathering, the agency apprehended Ibrahim Bawuro and Najib Ibrahim, key members of a syndicate based in Adamawa.
These suspects sourced large quantities of tramadol and other drugs from dealers in Onitsha, Anambra State, specifically from Nelson Udechukwu Anayo, who packaged drugs concealed in vehicles on his premises.
Under the cover of night, Bawuro and Najib transported the drugs to northern regions and across the Cameroonian border using false vehicle compartments.
In a major operation on October 7, NDLEA operatives tracked Bawuro and Najib from Onitsha, intercepting them in Taraba on October 8.
They confiscated 276,500 tramadol pills hidden in a Toyota Avensis that the suspects abandoned along the Jalingo-Yola highway upon detecting NDLEA’s pursuit.
Further raids in Delta and Anambra resulted in the arrest of other cartel leaders, including Ezeh Amaechi Martin, who allegedly allowed drugs to be stored on his property.
In another significant arrest, NDLEA intercepted Adejumo Elijah Ishola, a cross-border drug smuggler caught with 3.3 kg of cocaine and 600 grams of synthetic cannabis at Seme border on November 5, after tracking him from Ghana.
On November 6, NDLEA officers uncovered 31.75 million opioid pills disguised as diclofenac sodium in a shipment from India at Lagos’ Apapa seaport.
A joint effort with Customs and other security forces led to the discovery.
Elsewhere in Lagos, NDLEA seized a 700-gram cannabis package at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, leading to the arrest of Olu Marshal, a software engineer, when he collected the package.
A follow-up search at his residence in Lekki yielded drug paraphernalia.
At the airport export shed, NDLEA thwarted an attempt by Orji Ogbonna Nnaorji to smuggle 32.5 kg of codeine syrup and 5.7 kg of cannabis to the UK.
Agents traced the contraband to his warehouse in Ajao Estate, Lagos, where he was arrested.
In Kwara State, NDLEA intercepted over 162,000 tramadol pills from four suspects in Ilorin and Moro.
Additional seizures included diazepam and codeine from different suspects, revealing the pervasive trafficking operations in the region.
Meanwhile, NDLEA seized 755.5 kg of cannabis hidden beneath empty noodle cartons on a truck in Abuja.
The truck driver, Lukman Rasheed, confessed to loading the contraband in Ondo. Another haul of cannabis totaling 156.95 kg was seized in Taraba, with one suspect apprehended.
Other arrests and seizures followed across Plateau, Kaduna, Edo, and Ondo States, with NDLEA officers intercepting a staggering range of illegal drugs intended for widespread distribution.
NDLEA’s operations in Edo uncovered a massive 1,078 kg of cannabis in Okhuokhuo forest and further quantities in Ondo villages.
Simultaneously, NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy ramped up, with educational lectures reaching schools, workplaces, and traditional communities.
Public awareness initiatives took place at institutions like Park Royal College in Lagos and Government Secondary School in Cross River, emphasizing the dangers of drug abuse.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended officers for their resilience and dedication, noting that the simultaneous enforcement and advocacy efforts were essential for tackling the drug crisis.
NDLEA’s sweeping operations highlight the agency’s determination to counter drug trafficking and protect communities across Nigeria.
