NDLEA apprehends Sokoto village head, others over 991,320 opioid pills

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended the village head of Gidan Abba, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto, Abubakar Ibrahim.

Ibrahim was arrested with 10 other persons over 991,320 pills of pharmaceutical opioids.

Mr Femi Babafemi, who’s the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, revealed that 1,251kgs of cannabis and Khat were regained.

Babafemi also disclosed that the 38 year old suspect, Ibrahim, was apprehended in Bodinga town with 4,000 tablets of exol-5 and 3kgs of cannabis sativa.

He added that officers of the NDLEA connected to Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, also encountered 15 cartons.

Babafemi said the cartons which were stopped by the agency on October 26, has 802,000 pills of Tramadol, which were brought into the country from UAE, Dubai, and Karachi, Pakistan.

He also explained that 10 cartons of Tramadol 225mg, were imported in from Dubai via Ethiopian Airlines flight.

Babafemi also disclosed that a carton of 225mg Tramadol and four cartons of 100mg were imported from Pakistan, via another Ethiopian Airlines flight.

“A thorough search of the consignment revealed that the tomato cans were used to conceal 36 pellets of cannabis.

“This was with a gross weight of 21.30 kilograms, while a cargo agent, Sodehinde Akinwale, has also been arrested in connection with the seizure.

“Two days after, Oct. 25, operatives attached to the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) import shed of the Lagos airport, also seized five cartons of dried khat leaves.

“This was also weighing 107.70kgs that came in from Bangkok, Thailand, through Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight, ” he said.

He further said that the suspect was apprehended on October 27 in Sango Ota area of Ogun, in connection with officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the area.