NDLEA apprehends Chinese national, octogenarian, and others during significant

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Nigeria has recently conducted a series of operations that led to significant arrests and seizures in the country's ongoing fight against drug trafficking and abuse. Notable among the arrests was a Chinese national, Liang Tak You, who was caught at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos with 26.10 kg of cannabis, a strain known as Loud. He had arrived from Bangkok via Dubai with the drugs in two suitcases.

In addition to this, an 80-year-old woman, Grace Ekpeme, was apprehended in Calabar, Cross River State, for possessing over 3 kg of skunk. The agency also intercepted Chidi Agbafo in Lagos, who was moving 21.7 kg of Colorado cannabis and codeine syrup in a commercial bus heading to Warri and Oghara.

A joint operation at the Apapa seaport in Lagos resulted in the discovery of 101 kg of Canadian Loud hidden in two buses inside a container that originated from Canada. The NDLEA has been actively seizing various opioids and other drugs across the country, including 71,000 pills of different opioids from Usman Musa on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, 30.1 kg of skunk in Maiduguri, and 23,600 tramadol pills in Kogi State.

Other notable seizures include 105.4 kg of skunk from an abandoned car in Nasarawa State and 6,400 tramadol pills in Niger State. In Ondo State, the agency destroyed a cannabis plantation and arrested three brothers in connection with the cultivation of 2,500 kg of skunk.

The NDLEA's efforts extend beyond supply reduction, as they have also been involved in social advocacy through their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) program, which targets schools and communities to raise awareness and combat drug abuse.

The organization's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers for their hard work and effectiveness in disrupting drug supply chains and reducing the demand for illicit substances. These operations reflect the agency's commitment to curbing drug-related crimes and protecting public health in Nigeria.

Guardian