NDLEA seizes 300,000 Exol-5 tablets in operations across Ogun and Kaduna
NDLEA seizes 300,000 Exol-5 tablets in operations across Ogun and Kaduna
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized over 300,000 Exol-5 tablets during separate raids in Ogun and Kaduna States.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday arrested a 29-year-old suspect in New Bussa, Niger State, with 150,000 Exol-5 pills, 800 ampoules of pentazocine injection, and 22,000 tramadol capsules.
In a related operation, a 27-year-old suspect identified as Farin Malam was apprehended at the Abuja-Kaduna tollgate while transporting another 150,000 Exol-5 tablets from Lagos to Katsina.
Meanwhile, a total of 27,510 pills of Rohypnol concealed in sachets of alcoholic drinks going to South Africa had also been intercepted by NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
“After the initial arrest of a freight agent and a cab driver linked to the shipment, a follow-up operation at Oyingbo market in Lagos led to the arrest of the mastermind, a 46-year-old man, on October 2.
“Same day, an Italy-based businessman was arrested by operatives while attempting to export 3,700 pills of tramadol 225mg and 2,600 tablets of tapentadol 200mg, hidden in food items, to the European country.
“He claimed he was trafficking the opioids for someone else for a fee of 945 euros,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Edo, a raid of 33 at Ugbekpe Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government Area (LGA) led to the recovery of 47kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
He said that two suspected drug dealers, 48, and Oladejo Taiwo, 52, were arrested on Wednesday, arrested at Omifufun village, Ife South LGA, Osun.
This followed the seizure of 635 kilogrammes of skunk from their Toyota Hiace bus marked DDA65ZY, with two other suspects arrested.
“Another 41-year-old and 36 36-year-old suspected drug trafficker were nabbed at the same location with 100kg of skunk recovered from them along with their motorcycle.
Another suspect, 20, and 25 years respectively, were arrested in different parts of Port Harcourt, Rivers, in connection with the seizure of 8.5kg skunk on Friday, October 10.
“Again, a 46-year-old suspected drug trafficker was nabbed after 29.5kg of the same substance was found in his house at Bayan Asibiti, Jibia town, Katsina State, on Saturday,” he said.
In a related development, Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA operatives recovered 312 kilograms of skunk from a bush at Ologede Camp, Ogbese, in Ondo State.
He added that officers on patrol along the Benin-Lagos Expressway on Thursday intercepted two suspects transporting 141.8 kilograms of skunk in a vehicle.
According to him, NDLEA commands and formations across the country also sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns during the week, engaging schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.
Among the beneficiaries were students and staff of General Murtala Mohammed College, Yola, Adamawa; Assembly of God Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; and Community Girls Secondary School, Bakori, Katsina. Others included Girls Secondary School, Nenwe, Awgu LGA, Enugu; Day Secondary School, Tungan Mallam, Paikoro LGA, Niger; Sacred Heart Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi; Ebenezer Model Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra; and Government Secondary School, Borikiri, Rivers State.
Also listed were Government Junior Secondary School, Wakili Bawa, Ungoggo LGA, Kano, and Baptist High School, Ede, Osun, among others.
Babafemi further quoted NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, and Osun Commands for their successful operations and arrests.
Marwa urged them—and their counterparts nationwide—to sustain their dedication, professionalism, and balanced approach in advancing the agency’s drug control mission.
