By Odita Sunday
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a sweeping nationwide success, arresting drug kingpins, intercepting illicit supplies bound for terrorists, and destroying over 24,000kg of cannabis (skunk) in Edo State forests.
Two suspected drug barons — Victor Nwosa (64) and Felix Chika Obiegbu (49) — were arrested in Lagos after operatives of the NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) uncovered consignments of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine hidden in their homes.
Nwosa was arrested in Okota with 4.33kg heroin and 448g cocaine, while Obiegbu was nabbed in Surulere with 2.9kg methamphetamine.
In the North-East, NDLEA thwarted drug deliveries to bandits. In Borno, Baba Kaka Ibrahim (26) was arrested with 39,380 pills of tramadol and exol-5 hidden inside a Mercedes GLK engine compartment. In Yobe, Halima Adamu was caught with 1.4kg Colorado concealed in her bag, leading to the arrest of Habiba Muhammad in Maiduguri.
Similar operations in Kaduna, Kano, Bayelsa, Lagos, Abuja, Ekiti, and Gombe led to more arrests and seizures — from cannabis to opioids.
In Edo State alone, NDLEA destroyed 12,115.6kg of cannabis in Uromi forest and 12,031.2kg in Ogu forest, alongside arrests and seizures of over 1,000kg concealed in a truckload of charcoal.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their resilience.
“The success of the various operations across the country underscores our commitment to safeguarding Nigeria from illicit substances that threaten public health and national security. Every gram of these dangerous drugs we seize… reinforces our determination to protect our youths, disrupt criminal networks, and strengthen national security,” Marwa said.