The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on drug cartels, destroying over 178,000 kilograms of skunk in Taraba State and arrested several suspects, including a 75-year-old man, across different states.
A 75-year-old grandfather, Uchelue Ikechukwu, was apprehended at Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State with 26.7kg of skunk. He was among six suspects arrested in the state with various quantities of illicit substances.
In Taraba State, a 30-year-old suspect, Alfa Andrew, was arrested with a Dane gun when operatives, backed by the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard, and Vigilantes, stormed his 71.5-hectare cannabis farm in Mayodoga Forest, Sardauna LGA. The raid led to the destruction of 178,750 kilograms of skunk.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives intercepted a fuel tanker at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate carrying 104,900 tramadol capsules, suspected to be heading to insurgents in Borno State. The driver, Hassan Buba, was taken into custody. Another suspect, Kabir Sulaiman, was nabbed with 34.1kg of skunk at Zaria.
In Maiduguri, a major drug supplier, Uchenna Umeh (33), was arrested with over 38,000 illicit pills including tramadol and rohypnol, as well as ₦7.9 million in cash.
Raids in Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, Adamawa, Edo, Lagos, Ondo, and Ekiti also led to multiple arrests and seizures of large quantities of tramadol, exol-5, codeine syrup, cannabis, and other psychoactive substances. Notably, in Ekiti, operatives seized 5.3kg of Loud and Colorado—two potent cannabis strains alongside methamphetamine from a drug kingpin, Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu, in Ado-Ekiti.
Meanwhile, NDLEA commands across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign with sensitization programmes in schools, churches, mosques, palaces, and workplaces.
Commending the successful operations, NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers in Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo States for their dedication, urged them to sustain the pressure on drug syndicates while deepening community sensitization.
