Businessman Arrested Over Illicit Drug Shipments from US into Nigeria
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a Lekki-based businessman and proprietor of Damillionz Takeout, Arokodare Damil Ebenezer, in connection with the shipment of 60 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, from the United States of America to Nigeria.
The spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said the 43-year-old businessman was arrested at Bay Lounge, Admiralty Way, Lekki area of Lagos, where he does his illicit drug business, last Monday while he was expecting to take the delivery of his latest drug consignment.
Babafemi said the suspect’s arrest followed the seizure of his cargo, which arrived in Nigeria in seven large cartons at a logistics company in Lagos on March 12th, by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation.
(DOGI).
After his arrest, he was taken to his Lekki home for a search, during which 94 grammes of the same psychoactive substance, cannabis crusher and other drug paraphernalia were recovered, bringing the total weight of the drug seized from him to 32.24 kilogrammes.
In his statement, he claimed he started the illicit drug business in 2017. An attempt by another businessman, Omoruyi Terry, to export 1,400 pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 800 grammes to Italy has also been thwarted by NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Babafemi stated that Omoruyi was intercepted at the screening point of Terminal 2 at the Lagos airport on his way to Italy via a Qatar Airways flight. The investigation reveals that the suspect is an Italy-based frequent traveler and logistics agent.
In Katsina, four suspects: Baraka Abubakar, 40; Haruna Alitine, 23; Muhammad Babangida, 20; and Hamisu Lawal, were arrested last Friday during an intelligence led raid operation at Godai village in Daura local government area where 684 blocks of compressed skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 423 kilogrammes and 86,000 pills of diazepam were recovered from them. The three male suspects were arrested while repackaging the diazepam tablets into other containers while Baraka, the female suspect was apprehended with the heaps of skunk in her house.
The NDLEA spokesman said not less than 13,198 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa were destroyed in Edo forests across parts of the state between last Monday and Friday by NDLEA operatives who also evacuated 158 kilogrammes of the same substance for possible prosecution.
He disclosed that the forests where no fewer than four cannabis plantations were discovered and destroyed include Uhen forest, Ovia North East local government area. Sobe, Owan West Local Government Area, and Amahor Forest in Igueben Local Government Area.
In Niger state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road last Friday intercepted a black Toyota Corolla car marked SLM 137 SV and arrested the two occupants in possession of 179 blocks of compressed skunk with a total weight of 77.6 kilogrammes concealed in false bottom of the vehicle. The two suspects are Paul Christopher, 46, and Lucky Anumie. In another operation, 50 kilogrammes skunk was on Saturday recovered from the home of a suspect, Isa Iliya, who is currently at large, in Wawa village, Borgu council area of the state.
While 108.5kg of skunk was recovered from lockup shops at Aria New Marketin Enugu metropolis, Enugu State, by NDLEA operatives last Tuesday, 25kg of the same substance was seized from a suspect, Abdulrazak Saka, at Kilako Area in Ilorin, Kwara State, last Monday. Another suspect, Sulk Saheed, 50, was nabbed with 2.5 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud and 515 grammes of Colorado at the Olomi Academy area of Ibadan, Oyo state.
Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Edo, Kwara, Niger, Enugu, Oyo and Katsina commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, 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. He extended Eid-el-fitr greetings to them, their families, other stakeholders and Nigerians at large.
He added that: “May the spirit of obedience and sacrifice that defines this special day guide and strengthen us as we remain steadfast in our pursuit of a drug-free society. May Allah continue to bless and guide us and may our collective efforts bring us closer to a safer and healthier society for all.”
