Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have made a significant arrest involving a suspected drug trafficker, Egwu Phillip Inya, a 42-year-old building engineer, who was caught attempting to retrieve illicit drugs concealed within imported pressure machines. This operation was confirmed by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued by the agency. The arrest occurred on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the Okeyson Motor Park in Enugu, marking a crucial step in the fight against drug trafficking in the country.
According to the statement, Inya was intercepted while attempting to collect three pressure machines, which were discovered to contain a total of 7.4 kilograms of Loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain. The shipment had initially arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on November 29, 2024. Following intelligence gathered by the NDLEA, the MMIA Strategic Command tracked the consignment through the customs clearance process and located it in a logistics warehouse outside the airport. However, in an unexpected turn of events, the pickup location for the consignment was altered, and the drugs were redirected to Enugu, where the arrest was made.
In another major operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted a vehicle in Adamawa State on Friday, December 6, which contained a staggering 511,000 pills of tramadol. The vehicle, a Siena, was abandoned by its occupants near Hildi, Askira Uba, after they realized they were being pursued by the NDLEA patrol team. The drugs were seized, marking a significant win for the agency in its efforts to disrupt the distribution of controlled substances. The NDLEA team managed to recover the 511,000 tramadol pills, which were left behind in the vehicle as the suspects fled the scene.
Meanwhile, in Ekiti State, NDLEA officers arrested two suspects, Olanrewaju Alale, 48, and Babatunde Kayode Ijadahun, 55, on December 6, 2024, while they were transporting 1,323 kilograms of cannabis. The duo was apprehended along the Ise-Emure Road in a J5 bus, registered EPE 958 XJ. The consignment, which contained 108 jumbo bags of cannabis, was destined for Owo, Ondo State, and was purportedly planned to be further transported to the North for distribution. In a related operation, NDLEA operatives also arrested Adekunle Yusuf, 33, on Friday, December 6, with 704 kilograms of cannabis, which had been concealed in white sacks. Yusuf was apprehended at Idere Road in Igboora, Oyo State, as part of the agency’s continuous efforts to disrupt the illegal trade of psychoactive substances.
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Further arrests were made in Lagos State, with NDLEA operatives apprehending Ramata Bola Adeyemo, a 65-year-old grandmother, on December 6, 2024. She was arrested at 62 Odunfa Street, Lagos Island, where authorities recovered 20.6 liters of codeine-based syrup, a controlled substance often abused for its psychoactive effects. On December 5, another suspect, Alhaji Lawan Manga, was arrested in Ikeja, Lagos, with 4.7 kilograms of cannabis and 1.3 kilograms of tramadol. Both arrests are part of NDLEA’s ongoing operations to combat drug trafficking and abuse across the country.
These recent operations are a testament to the NDLEA’s tireless efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and prevent the spread of illegal substances across Nigeria. With the agency’s proactive approach and successful arrests, it is clear that the fight against drug-related crimes remains a top priority for law enforcement in the country.
