…Arrests octogenarian, community leader’s wives, son for drugs
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted a total of 25 million pills of Tapentadol, an opioid three times stronger than Tramadol, including 350,000 bottles of a codeine-based syrup at the Tin-Can Island port complex in Lagos.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said the seized Tapentadol has an estimated street value of N13.725bn, while the Codeine consignment is worth N2.45bn, bringing the total value of the seizures N16.175bn.
Babafemi said the seizures were made on Tuesday 17th and Friday 20th September 2024 from three containers that had been on the watchlist of the Agency following processed intelligence.
According to him, as a result, the NDLEA had requested for 100% joint examination of the shipments with men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
Babafemi also said operatives of the Lagos State Strategic Command of the Agency on Friday, arrested an 80-year-old grandfather, Pa Aremu Shojobi with 14 kilograms of cannabis at his home in the Iyana Ipaja area of the State.
“In his statement, the Octogenarian claimed he has been in the business of selling illicit drugs for 25 years. He further claimed he gets his supplies from Benin Republic and sells to his customers from his residence between 7 am and 10 pm every day”, he stated.
The Commission added that NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Wednesday raided the two homes of a community leader and Sarkin Yamma, of Badagry-West LCDA, Bashir Mohammed Talba, where a total of 226kg of cannabis was recovered from his two wives and son.
“Though Alhaji Talba is currently at large, a search of his house in Ashipa area of Seme Badagry led to the recovery of 93 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 57.6kg from his first wife, Asma’u Bashiru, 35, and son, Sadat Bashiru, 22, while another search of his house at Aketegbo area of Seme Badagry led to the seizure of 302 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 168.6kg from his second wife Hauwa Bashir, 42.
While commending the officers and men of Tincan, MAKIA, Lagos, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Kogi, Edo, and Kwara Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
