Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intercepted large consignments of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis sativa, in the early hours of Sunday, January 28, 2024, at the Ojuelegba area of Lagos State.
These drugs which were smuggled into Lagos from Ghana, were loaded in 2 trucks and a J5 bus with a total weight of 14, 524.8 kilograms.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, February 4, 2024, where he noted that a 66-year-old driver, Nasiru Ojomu, with links to a wanted drug baron was arrested.
Intercepted substance linked to a wanted drug baron
Babafemi in the statement said,
- ‘’The three vehicles conveying jumbo bags of the psychoactive substance were trailed and intercepted at Ojuelegba area of Lagos in the early hours of Sunday 28th January 2024.
- ‘’In the process of blocking the vehicles, two of the drivers jumped off on motion while the third driver, 66-year-old Nasiru Ojomu, who works with wanted Akala, Mushin based drug baron, Suleiman Jimoh (alias Olowo Idi Ogede, also known as Temo) was arrested.’’
He revealed that in the last 3 years, the NDLEA operatives have seized several shipments of same psychoactive substance worth billions of naira linked to Temo, adding that the wanted drug lord has since gone into hiding while the agency continues manhunt for him.
- He said, ‘’In the same vein, NDLEA operatives on routine patrol around a warehouse sealed at Church street, Idumota, Lagos by the agency over an ongoing investigation on Thursday 1st February arrested three suspects: Joseph Joshua; Muhammed Adamu and Balarabe Musa who burgled the store and loaded 546,700 pills of tramadol and other opioids into a waiting yellow bus marked BDG 447 XD and an unregistered Suzuki minibus.’’
Other drug related offences arrests
Meanwhile, a male deaf and dumb suspect dealing in illicit substances has been arrested at Samaru area of Zaria, Kaduna state. At the time of his arrest, 150 grams of cannabis were recovered from him while selling the psychoactive substance. Another suspect, Ibrahim Sani, 56, was also arrested in possession of 51 kilograms of same substance at Tirkaniya area of the state.
Operatives in Abuja on Wednesday January 31 arrested Emmanuel Paul with 43.5kg cannabis concealed in used shoes loaded in a trailer coming from Ogbese, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
In Katsina state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Dutsinma, Katsina road on Friday February 2 apprehended a suspect, Murtala Isah, 35, with a total of 37,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids recovered from him.
Babafemi also pointed out that in Kogi state, operatives on Wednesday January 31 destroyed 833.32 kilograms of cannabis sativa on a two acre of farmland at Iluke community, Kabba- Bunu LGA while the owner, Samuel Atonila, 49, was equally arrested.
On the same day, operatives in Nasarawa also arrested 3 suspects: Muhammed Musa, Bilyaminu Musa and Sadiya Ya’u with same psychoactive substance weighing 24.4kg at Uke, Karu local government area of the state, while no less than 258 kilograms of same substance were recovered from a bush store around Ikare bypass, Owo, Ondo state.