OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an artiste’ manager Oseni Babatunde and his ikoyi businessman accomplice Nnadi Ikenna for selling illicit drugs at nightclubs in Lekki and Lagos Island axis.
A statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi on Sunday, July 30, stated that the arrest followed information received by its operatives about a shipment of Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis, which was expected to be delivered to the duo from Los Angeles, United States.
Babatunde, also known as Papalampa was the first to be arrested in his house at Lekki area of Lagos when the consignment arrived on Sunday July, 23.
READ ALSO:
NDLEA thwarts attempt to import 98 cartons of Tramadol pills worth N3.7bn
NDLEA raises alarm as drug abuse among women surges
NDLEA arrests teenager, female lawyer for drug possession
NDLEA boss orders clampdown on illegal sale, use of ‘laughing gas’
A total of 10 parcels of Colorado weighing 2.50kg were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, during the process.
The second suspect, an Ikoyi-based businessman, Ikenna, who was out of the country when the shipment arrived, was apprehended upon his return on Thursday, July 27.
Parts of the statement read: “NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA intercepted a cargo going to Nairobi, Kenya. A search of the consignment revealed that various quantities of MDMA (Ecstasy) popularly known as ‘Molly’ and Rohypnol were concealed in a bag consisting of foodstuff. An agent, Onydem Chinwe Florence who presented it for export was arrested.
“Also, an attempt by another suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi to export quantities of Loud, a variant of Cannabis, Tramadol and Rohypnol all weighing 7.8kg concealed in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion was thwarted by vigilant operatives who intercepted him while preparing to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Muscat, Oman at the Lagos airport.
“Another suspect, Ekpenisi Wisdom Pious was equally arrested while trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Oman with 6.00kg skunk hidden in a bag of food stuff. A follow up operation led to the arrest of a staff of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, Ibigbami Temitope Oluwatobi who was fingered in the drug trafficking scheme.
“A consignment of 5.70kg codeine syrup going to the United Kingdom was on Thursday 27th July seized from a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Taiwo Atinuke by NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA Ikeja.”
In another development, a 32-year-old suspect, Chukwuma Nnaji was arrested with 47kg skunk in a warehouse at Onuogba Eke, Ishielu LGA, Enugu state on Saturday, July, 29 while 12kg of the same substance was recovered from a lock up shop during the raid.
The NDLEA operatives also arrested a 62-year-old grandfather and one Chimezie Onyenjuru, with 49.415kg of cannabis sativa, 127.7 grams of methamphetamine, and 15 grams of cocaine during a raid on July 28 in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State.
In Ogun State, operatives uncovered a skuchies factory in Sagamu where a suspect Femi Isiaka was arrested on Thursday, July 26.
Items recovered from the factory include: 37kg cannabis, 195 pills of tramadol, 5,000 tabs of diazepam, 216 tabs of rophynol 216, 204 litres of skuchies, four fridges, four gas cylinders and one industrial cooker among other items.
According to the statement, two suspects identified as Abdulrazak Bala and Lawal Salisu were arrested with 156,380 pills of Tramadol along the Gwagwalada-Abaji road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday.
In the same vein, NDLEA chairman Buba Marwa charged operatives of the Agency “to remain undaunted by the various machinations of drug cartels and barons who are daily frustrated and desperate due to the continued heat on them and their criminal trade”
The ICIR had earlier reported that the NDLEA expressed concern over the surge in the abuse of drugs by Nigerians, particularly women.
According to the Agency, latest records on drug use show that one in four drug abusers in the country is a woman.
The Ogun State Commander of the NDLEA, Ibiba Odili, stated this during the Launch of the War Against Drug Abuse in collaboration with Lions Club International, in Abeokuta.
She revealed that 14.3 million Nigerian drug abusers are within the age range of 15 and 64 years, adding that more women are now involved.
She said, “2018 survey tells us that the most common drug abused in Nigeria is cannabis, which regrettably is cultivated mostly in the South-West region of Nigeria.
“One out of every four drug users is a woman. In 2018 data shows that more women are going into drug use. And if more women are going into drug use, it is a source of worry for us, because, it means that the traditional role of women in families and communities as caregivers, role models, and life moulders will be threatened, because what quality of children are these women going to raise?”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M