In a successful bust, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a cartel led by siblings Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi, 49, and Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, 50, seizing cocaine and methamphetamine worth over N4.1 billion from their hideout in Aba, Abia State. The operation, conducted on June 13 and 14, followed months of intelligence gathering and resulted in the seizure of 20.76 kilograms of the illicit drugs.
Lagos Warehouse Raid
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives uncovered a warehouse in the Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri, Lagos, stocked with a large consignment of codeine-based syrup. During the raid on June 10, four individuals were arrested, and 82,000 bottles of the opioid, valued at over N600 million, were seized. The arrested suspects include Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke, 38; Emeka Emmanuel, 48; Bornaventure Ugochukwu, 59; and Martin Dike, 56. Additionally, vehicles used for distribution, including a Toyota Tacuma truck and two buses, were confiscated.
Further Arrests and Seizures
NDLEA’s efforts extended to Kano, where on June 10, operatives arrested Yasir Rabi’u, 23, and Abubakar Ado, 30, seizing 230,600 tramadol pills. In another incident in Kano on June 11, Hassan Abdullahi Ali, 25, was apprehended with 150 bottles of codeine syrup. Meanwhile, in Ogun State, a skuchies factory was busted in Shagamu town on June 12, resulting in seven arrests and the seizure of 387 liters of skuchies and various drug production materials.
In Edo and Ekiti states, NDLEA officers destroyed a total of 28,959 kilograms of cannabis. The operations in Uhen forest, Edo, and Ise Ekiti, Ekiti, led to the destruction of 10,534.78 kilograms and 18,425 kilograms of cannabis, respectively.
Nationwide Efforts
In Abuja, operatives arrested two suspects, Muhammad Abba, 33, and Samson Ehizogie, 42, with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura,” a new psychotropic substance mixture. Other notable arrests included Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, in Benue State with 11,200 tramadol pills, and Anayo Onwe, 40, in Anambra State with 62.4 kilograms of cannabis sativa and 1 kilogram of methamphetamine. In Kwara, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33 kilograms of cannabis, and Shokuro Adeola, 59, was nabbed with 11.5 kilograms along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Oyo State.
Educational Initiatives
The NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools and communities nationwide. Enlightenment lectures were held in several states, including Oyo, Kogi, Kano, Osun, Niger, and Abia.
Commendation
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the officers and men involved in these operations. He urged them to continue their efforts in reducing drug supply and demand across the country.