80 – Year-Old Ex-Convict, Grandma, 82, Arrested As NDLEA Intercepts N3.2b Opioids
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that two octogenarians—80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday—alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, are among the top suspects recently arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a series of operations across the country.
In a major crackdown, NDLEA operatives also intercepted illicit drugs worth over N3.2 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos and the Onne Port in Rivers State.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that Ayuba Ashiru, a repeat offender previously convicted and jailed for 10 years for drug trafficking, was re-arrested on Wednesday. He was apprehended at Barazana Street in Dogarawa, Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State. Officers recovered 2.3 kilograms of skunk packaged in retail portions from him. Ashiru admitted to being involved in drug trafficking for 46 years.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Abia State on Saturday, May 17, raided the residence of Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday in Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village. During the operation, they seized quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol, skunk, and N130,600 in cash from her and her daughter, Chisom. Mrs. Sunday confessed that they took over the drug trade after her son, the original operator, died two years ago.
At the Onne Port in Port Harcourt, officers intercepted a container holding three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg, valued at N2.1 billion. The container had been flagged based on intelligence reports and was examined jointly with the Customs Service and other security agencies.
Similarly, at the Apapa Port in Lagos, another flagged container falsely declared as carrying auto parts from India was searched. It was found to contain 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup, worth over N1.1 billion.
In Kwara State, NDLEA arrested two suspects, Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail, recovering 199,200 tramadol pills in Ilorin. A further raid at Favour Lodge in Ilorin led to the arrest of Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef, an HND 1 student of Kwara State Polytechnic, with 650 grams of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, measured in 149 cups.
At a Lagos-based courier company, NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation intercepted 250 grams of cocaine hidden in a female headgear intended for shipment to Australia.
Other notable arrests include:
Idris Kamal, 35, caught on May 15 along Mokwa-Jebba Road in Niger State with 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143kg.
Emmanuel Hassan, 26, arrested the same day at Chachi junction, Kaduna Road, with 14.3kg of Loud. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Bello Aliyu (alias Liti), 39, identified as the true owner.
Welman Kengbo, 60, apprehended in Karu, Nasarawa State, with 594.8kg of skunk.
Oyenuga Toheeb, arrested along the Lekki/Epe Expressway in Lagos with 67.5kg of skunk.
In Taraba State, Shafiu Ismail, 22, was arrested with 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam at Sabonlayin, Jalingo.
Tijjani Mohammed, 35, caught with 198kg of skunk at Malamawa, Garki LGA, Jigawa State.
In a separate incident, NDLEA operatives patrolling the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday intercepted Ismail Isah, 29, with an AK-47 rifle and two magazines hidden in a sack of maize.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended the dedication of the operatives and urged them to sustain the momentum in tackling drug trafficking nationwide.
