Abuja, June 16, 2024 – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized N4.7 billion worth of cocaine from a drug cartel led by Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi, 49-year-old and Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, his 50-year-old elder sister, in Aba, Abia State.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said the cartel leaders were arrested by the Special Operation Unit of the agency while the cocaine and methamphetamine consignments worth over N4.7 billion were seized from their hideout in Aba, Abia state.
Babafemi said the special operation unit conducted an operation on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June, 2024 at 3B, Boundary Avenue, Aba and a residence along Ohia road, Ohia, Abia State, followed months of intelligence gathering.
This, he said, led to the arrest of the ring leaders and the combined seizure of 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine from them.
Babafemi also said NDLEA operatives in Lagos State uncovered an expansive warehouse, stocked with a large consignment of codeine-based syrup, located at Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri.
He said four persons connected with the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested during an intelligence-led raid on the facility.
According to him, “A total of 230,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg were recovered from the duo of Yasir Rabi’u, 23, and Abubakar Ado, 30, who are major distributors of illicit drugs in Kano and Jigawa states, when they were arrested on Monday 10th June at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano.
“In the same vein, another suspect, Hassan Abdullahi Ali, 25, was nabbed with 150 bottles of codeine syrup at Kofar Nassarawa area of Kano on Tuesday 11th June.
“In Ogun state, NDLEA operatives on Monday 10th June seized 390kg of cannabis and arrested the trio of Muhammad Sani, Nura Mohammad and Samaila Rabe during an early morning raid at Ibese area of the state, while officers on Wednesday 12th June bursted a skuchies making factory at Sabo area of Shagamu town where seven suspects were arrested.
“In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, two suspects: Muhammad Abba, 33, and Samson Ehizogie, 42, were arrested with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura”, a new mixture of psychotropic substances, by operatives during a raid on Friday 14th June at Garki Area 10 and Dutse Suokale, both within the FCT.
“While Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, was nabbed with 11,200 pills of tramadol on Wednesday 12th June along Otukpo-Enugu road, by NDLEA operatives in Benue state, Anayo Onwe, 40, was arrested with 62.4kg cannabis sativa at Nteje just as 1kg of methamphetamine belonging to a fleeing suspect, in Oraifite, both in Anambra state was seized.
“In Kwara State, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33kg cannabis at Bode-Saadu, Jebba, while Shokuro Adeola, 59, was nabbed with 11.5kg of same substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo State”. (GBN)
