By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered tons of illicit drugs across FCT, Borno, Jigawa, Kwara, Kaduna, Ekiti, Edo, Kano, Delta, Oyo, Benue, Lagos and Ondo states.

This is contained in a statement by Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that as part of efforts to disrupt the supply chain of illicit drugs to terror groups, NDLEA operatives in Borno state on Wednesday, Jan. 21 intercepted 179,590 pills of tramadol.

This, he said, included diazepam which were concealed in sacks of charcoal and animal feeds in a public transport car coming from Potiskum, Yobe.

“A follow-up operation at Bulabulin, Maiduguri led to the arrest of the owner,” he said.

The NDLEA spokesman said that a female suspect was on Friday, Jan. 23 arrested in Mokwa, Niger state in a follow up operation by NDLEA operatives.

This, he said, followed the seizure of her consignment of 78,500 pills of tramadol the same day at Bode Saadu, Kwara in a truck coming from Lagos.

“Her husband, currently remanded in prison and facing trial, was arrested for the same drug trafficking offence last year,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Ekiti, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, Jan. 24 arrested 72-year-old suspected drug peddler at his 15 Aramoko road, Mushin, Ilawe-Ekiti and another at New Jerusalem area, Erijinyan road, Ilawe-Ekiti for illicit drug dealing.

“A total of 62 kilograms of skunk were recovered from the duo,” he said.

Also, a village head and another suspect, have been taken into custody by the Edo Command of NDLEA following their arrest and prompt transfer to the agency by soldiers of the Nigerian Army 4 Brigade, Benin City.

Babafemi said that this was after a raid operation at Lagos camp Ilushi in Esan South East LGA, where 681kg skunk and 181kg cannabis seeds were recovered from them on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

In another development, three suspects were arrested in Sabon Gari area of Kano on Tuesday, Jan. 20 with 1,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

Babafemi said that two others were nabbed at Paris lounge, Ring road, Ibadan, Oyo state on Thursday, Jan. 22 with 181.5 litres of skuchies, a mixture of skunk and other illicit substances recovered from them.

In Benue state, a female suspect was arrested at Yes Ikyuan village, Guma LGA with 210kg skunk, while a total of 254.5kg of same psychoactive substance was seized from another suspect along Abaji - Toto road, FCT on Thursday, Jan. 22.

In the same vein, a total of 39,800 pills of tramadol 225mg were recovered from two suspects at Alaba Rago, Mile 2 area of Lagos on Monday, Jan. 19.

“No fewer than 30,003 pills of tramadol, molly and other opioids as well as 20 litres of codeine syrup were seized from a suspect by NDLEA officers along Sapele road Warri, Delta state on Thursday, Jan. 22.

“Another suspect was nabbed at Mobil roundabout, Akure, Ondo state with 1,500 kilograms of skunk recovered from him on Friday, Jan. 23,” he said.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, commending the officers and men of the affected states for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity.

Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to maintain the current standard of professionalism in all their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities. (NAN)

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