The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested the head of Akarabata community in the Ile-Ife area of Osun State, Ige Babatunde, with fresh cannabis plants weighing 5kg.

The 50-year-old monarch was arrested by the NDLEA officers on Friday, July 5, 2024.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the anti-drug agency, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, July 7.

Babafemi added that the NDLEA operatives, on Wednesday, July 3, arrested a 25-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of Kano, with 1.250kg of Loud.

He noted that two suspects – Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37 – were arrested when the anti-narcotic officers raided Ikota forest in the Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State where 42,500kg cannabis was destroyed on 17 hectares of farmland.

The NDLEA spokesman stated that 73.5kg of the same substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects during a five-day operation that ended on Monday, July 1.

Babafemi further disclosed that the NDLEA operatives, on Saturday, July 6, arrested the duo of Sanusi Mamman, 28, and Usaini Ibrahim, 20, in a vehicle along the Abaji-Gwagwalada Road in Abuja with 1,132 bottles of codeine syrup, 13, 540 pills of tramadol, 50,000 pills of diazepam, and 59 pills of rophynol.

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According to him, the suspects claimed they were bringing the opioids from Onitsha, Anambra State.

He added that the NDLEA operatives, on Thursday, July 4, intercepted 350 grams of cocaine at a checkpoint along Enugu road in Otukpo, Benue State.

Babafemi said the illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel, noting that a swift follow-up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony.

Babafemi revealed that the NDLEA officers on a stop and search operation along Ngurore-Yola Road in Adamawa State, on Wednesday, July 3, arrested a Chadian, Yves Ahmat Gali, in a commercial bus coming from Kano to Yola.

The NDLEA spokesperson stated that the suspect was found with a loudspeaker used to conceal 20 compressed blocks, and nine plastic containers of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, weighing 5.200kg.

Commending the anti-narcotic officers for the arrests and seizures, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the tempo.

The Star