19,000kg Drug Empire falls as NDLEA arrests dealers, others in Nationwide crackdown

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a string of major breakthroughs across Nigeria, arresting several suspects and recovering over 19,000 kilogrammes of illicit drugs in coordinated raids spanning Lagos, Kogi, Edo, Anambra, Niger, Kaduna, and Taraba States.

This is contained in a statement issued by NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi on Sunday.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, stormed a residence at 28 Ola Street, Ijesha, Surulere, on Monday, 1st September. There, they arrested Tunde Ayinla, 47, and Olawale Omotare, 54, while the duo were loading four distribution vehicles.

The operation led to the seizure of 625kg of cannabis varieties, including 9kg of Canadian Loud, 5kg of Colorado, and 1,101 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 611kg.

Four days later, on Friday, 5th September, another raid in Ajegunle, Lagos, resulted in the arrest of a couple, Andy David, 43, and Andy Esther, 44, with 24.4kg of skunk recovered from their residence.

In Kogi State, operatives apprehended Musa Isah, 45, after discovering 53.4kg of skunk hidden in two cartons inside the trunk of his Toyota Avensis car. Similarly, in Auchi, Edo State, Yunusa Zakari, 23, was arrested in connection with an earlier seizure of 233kg of skunk in Kakau, Kaduna State.

Anambra State also recorded a bust on Wednesday, 3rd September, when Ayouk Nelson, 28, was arrested at 61 Bida Road, Onitsha, with 11,000 pills of tramadol.

In Niger State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Minna-Bida road on Tuesday, 2nd September, intercepted a white Toyota Hilux. A search uncovered 30 bags of skunk weighing 342kg, leading to the arrest of the driver, Afolayan Ayodele, 54.

In Taraba State, a large-scale cannabis cultivation site was destroyed. On Tuesday, 2nd September, NDLEA operatives stormed Joro-Ade village in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, where 7.5 hectares of cannabis farmland were raided, yielding 18,750kg of skunk. The owners, Mako Zmar, 55, and Sani Titus, 45, were arrested at the scene.

Commending the efforts of commands involved in the week-long operations, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), urged officers nationwide to sustain a balanced approach combining enforcement with advocacy.

“These arrests and seizures demonstrate our resolve to dismantle drug networks while deepening awareness on the dangers of substance abuse,” Marwa said.