Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said they have intercepted a commercial bus conveying N3.2million counterfeit cash owned by three suspects: eight-month pregnant Favour Peter (24); Esther Adukwu (27) and Ochigbo Michael (39), who were arrested at the Jabi Park in Abuja in a follow-up operation on Tuesday 9th April following the seizure of fake naira notes in Lokoja, Kogi state.
This is even as NDLEA officers in collaboration with men of the Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard base, Lokoja intercepted 37-year-old Aliyu Lawal along Lokoja-Abuja road on Monday 8th April and recovered 620 blocks of cannabis weighing 310kg, while 10 sacks of the same psychoactive substance weighing 98kg were seized along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja express way by NDLEA operatives from Jama Obodo (44), in a commercial bus coming from Ilesha, Osun State enroute Taraba State on Wednesday 10th April.
The information were made public by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Sunday.
According to him, “in Cross River state, a 40-year-old widow and mother of two, Mrs. Theodora Ita was on Monday 8th April arrested at Bassey Edom, Calabar, by NDLEA operatives for producing and selling a lethal new psychoactive substance, NPS, locally called ‘Combine’, which is a mixture of different strains of cannabis and opioids soaked in raw gin.
“As at the time of her arrest, 18 litres of the dangerous substance in used paint drums were recovered from her, which she started producing and distributing in October 2023.
“Another suspect, Godwin Okon Samuel, 48, was apprehended at Essit Ebum area of Calabar with 39.4kg of cannabis sativa on Tuesday 9th April.
“In Ogun state, a suspect, Ismaila Ogun was arrested on Friday 12th April with 79kg cannabis at Imeko, while 18-year-old Friday Abah was nabbed with 410kg of the same substance when NDLEA operatives raided Obatedo camp, Itaogbolu forest, Akure North LGA, Ondo state.
“With the same zeal, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and staff of Gboko Polytechnic, Gboko, Benue state; officers and men of 15 Engineering Field Regiment Nigerian Army, Topo, Badagry Lagos; meat butchers at Odo Eran abattoir, Osogbo, Osun state and WADA advocacy visit to Kogi state Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, among others”.
