National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has detained a hair stylist and a dispatch rider for allegedly selling drugged snacks to students in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
This was made public by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi in a statement released on Sunday, which included information on the substances retrieved from the suspects.
As observed by Babafemi, “NDLEA officers on patrol around the Opolo area of Yenagoa had on Sunday, March 10, 2024, intercepted the motorcycle dispatch rider, Edesemi (30), and recovered 200 grams of chin-chin produced with Cannabis sativa, which he was on a mission to deliver to a buyer.
“A swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of the hairdresser, Josephine (20), who distributes the drugged chin-chin from the salon where she works in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa.
“A search of the salon also led to the recovery of 3.00kg, bringing the total weight of the illicit substance seized from the duo to 3.2kg.
“Investigations reveal that they distribute the chin-chin, often laced with cannabis and tramadol, to students and at birthday parties. While Edesemi handles the delivery to buyers, Josephine is a major distributor for a wanted suspect who produces the drugged chin-chin.
According to the statement, on Wednesday, March 13, NDLEA agents in Adamawa State “arrested two wanted suspects, Ajim Samuel (aka Boss), 30, and Davidson Joshua (aka Dantala), 36, while on their way from Onitsha, Anambra State, where they had gone to buy a consignment of tramadol containing 14,428 pills of the opioid, which they tucked in the body compartments of their black Honda Civic car marked YLA 623 SL.
“They were nabbed along the Numan-Jalingo road. Also recovered from them were 21 grams of cannabis and monetary exhibits totaling N19,280.”
An anti-drug agency representative further stated that in Osun State,a 49-year-old commercial bus driver, Ogunleye Adegoke, was arrested along the Gbongan-Ibadan road after NDLEA operatives discovered 2,000 capsules of tramadol, 60 tablets of Rohypnol, and 10 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in the spare tire compartment of his vehicle.
“Meanwhile, a total of 343,000 pills of opioids were seized by NDLEA officers from a suspect, Lawan Abubakar, 33, in Azare town, Katagum, Bauchi State, on Friday, March 15, as the Nigerian Army transferred a suspect, Muhammadu Rabi’u, 37, with 64,000 pills of tramadol recovered from him to the Bauchi State command of the NDLEA on the same day.
He added that “at least 24kg of cannabis was seized from the driver of a transport company, Ikechukwu Obialo, at Sagamu Interchange, Ogun State, by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, March 13, while in Kano, two suspects, Ali Amadu, 27, and Adamu Hassan, 33, were nabbed with a total of 125.3 kg of cannabis, 3,400 pills of tramadol, and 30 bottles of codeine syrup.
“They were arrested on Monday, March 11, at Gadar Tamburawa area, and Friday, March 15, at Tsamiya Babba, Hotoro, respectively.”
“While 118 kilograms of cannabis were recovered from a warehouse in the Masaka area of Nasarawa State on Saturday, March 16, NDLEA operatives in Edo State on Thursday, March 14, arrested a suspect, Kole Samuel, 50, with 75 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance at the market area in Otuo, Owan East LGA. The same day, operatives raided the Oloma-Okpe forest in Akoko Edo LGA, where they destroyed 3,944.2075 kilograms of cannabis on 1.577683 hectares of farmland,” the statement declares.
