Two ladies and two men wanted in connection with over 16,000 kilograms of illicit drugs intercepted in Lagos, Abuja, and Netherlands have been arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, made the disclosure via a statement issued and made available to The Star on Sunday.
Babafemi stated that the anti-narcotics officers, who have been on the trail of 48-year-old Aro Aderinde for weeks arrested him last Sunday in Lagos over his involvement in the export of 3,149kgs cannabis Sativa concealed in coconut fibres via container number MSKU 1820587.
He noted that two women, Hauwawu Bashiru and Basirat Adebisi Yahaya, who were linked to the attempt to export 90 kilograms of methamphetamine through Pastor Anietie Okon Effiong of Promise of Zion Church, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, were equally arrested in Lagos and moved to Uyo to face charges along with the clergyman.
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The anti-drug agency spokesman said Pastor Effiong was earlier arrested on Saturday, August 6.
Babafemi added that a notorious drug dealer, Monday Michael, was arrested on Monday, October 17 while conveying 365.7kgs of cannabis in two Toyota Sienna space buses marked FST 189 FD and FST 273 GF in the Mushin-Isolo area of Lagos State.
The NDLEA spokesperson said another 47-year-old drug kingpin, Abdulkadir Mohammed, who was wanted over the seizure of 5,640kgs cannabis at a warehouse in Chukuku area of Kuje, Abuja, was nabbed last Sunday following the arrest of his 35-year-old wife, Saadatu Abdullahi, who was found at the store when it was raided.
While commending the anti-narcotics officers for the arrests and seizures, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), said the arrest of the fleeing drug kingpins was a warning signal to those still in the criminal illicit drug trade that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them.
Marwa, however, charged officers across all commands to intensify the heat on the drug cartels until they are dismantled.
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