The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, marine Command of the Agency, at 2:30 am on Christmas Eve, intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko beach in the Lekki area of Lagos.
The Agency’s Spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi in a Statement on Sunday said six foreign nationals who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested during the operation.
They include: two Ghanaians: Godsway John, 38; and Freedom Kelvin, 33; as well as four Beninese: Chegoun Hounsou, 23; Gadabor Nyameto, 47; Adantg Sasa, 34; and Ayao Kayivi, 21.
While, in Katsina, a suspect Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested in possession of 40 album-size parcels of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 35kg on Christmas day December 25, at Central Motor Park, Katsina, while another suspect Umar Ahmed, 47, was nabbed along Zaria-Malumfashi road, Katsina with 27 parcels of same psychoactive substance weighing 13.5kg on Saturday 28th December.
Also, a 21-year-old suspect Kosisochukwu Ozigbo was arrested at the new Lagos Road Benin City, Edo state when the area was raided on Monday, December 23, by NDLEA operatives. Recovered from the suspect include: 32,490 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg; 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup and various quantities of other opioids.
The Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns in schools, markets, worship centres and communities.
Some of these include: the WADA sensitisation lecture delivered by Lagos State Strategic Command in collaboration with Menitos Foundation to residents of the Akoka community at Ayetoro primary school, Akoka Bariga; while the Adamawa State command of NDLEA delivered the same lecture to members of Jama’atul Nasril Islam during their annual first aid group and leadership camping in Adamawa among others.
While commending the efforts of the officers and men of NAIA, Katsina, Edo and Marine Commands of the Agency for a job well done in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigidier General. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) tasked them and their compatriots nationwide not to rest on the achievements of 2024 but to continue to raise the bar in their offensive action against drug barons and cartels with an equal measure of WADA sensitisation campaigns in the new year.