NDLEA destroys tons of skunk, seizes 76.9kg loud from Canada

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have set ablaze 231 jumbo bags of the psychotropic substance weighing 3,003 kilogrammes (over three tons) stored in a warehouse during a raid in Iwe forest,  Iwe community, Owan West Local Council of Edo State.

Spokesperson for the Agency, Femi Babafemi, said operatives stormed the forest in the early hours of Tuesday, May 30, 2023, following intelligence that a wanted drug kingpin had stored tons of the illicit substance in the forest ready for distribution to other parts of the country.
According to him, the agency also recovered about 76.9 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of Cannabis from four used vehicles in a container marked: MSDU6686346 from Canada at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State between Thursday, June 1, and Friday, June 2, during a joint inspection of the shipment with men of the Nigeria Customs Service. The request for 100 per cent examination of the shipment followed earlier intelligence received by the Agency on the container.
In Kano State, two suspects: Ma’aruf Rabiu and Abubakar Mustapha were arrested on Tuesday May 30 along Zaria-Kano road with 260 blocks of Cannabis weighing 139.4kg, while Auwal Ibrahim was nabbed with 38kg of the same substance the following day Wednesday, May 31, along Kaduna-Abuja road; same day 35-year-old female suspect, Bilkisu Isiya, was arrested at Birnin Yero, Kaduna in possession of 5.6kg Cannabis.
In Borno State, two suspects: Abubakar Usman (aka Alhaji Mai Kero) and Adamu Yusuf, were arrested at Bargu village, Shani LGA, on Saturday, June 3, with 165 blocks of skunk weighing 140.7kg. Their arrests were carried out inside a fluid insurgents’ environment with military support.
A female suspect, Hauwa Ibrahim, 25, was also nabbed in the same village with 6.4kg of the psychoactive substance, while another suspect Alhaji Abubakar, 27, was arrested at Njimtilo checkpoint with 4,200 ampoules of pentazocine injection and different quantities of D5 and exol-5 tablets.

Pentazocine injection is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Drugs such as exol 5 and D5 are used to treat Parkinson’s disease and bipolar disorder, rohypnol is used to lessen depression caused by the abuse of stimulants.
Also, 30-year-old Iroko Wasiu, was arrested at a drug joint at Sabo Aba-Awolowo along Oyo-Ogbomoso expressway on Tuesday, May 30, and 31.2kg of Cannabis recovered from him, while two suspects: Deji Adelabu, 35, and Mutiu Salau, 37, were nabbed the following day, Wednesday, May 31,  in Sabo area along Oyo- Ogbomoso road and Awuro Dada area in Orire Local Council of Oyo State with a total of 8kg Cannabis recovered from them.

Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), has commended officers and men of the Edo, Onne Ports, Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Oyo state Commands for their commitment and synergy with other law enforcement agencies in their areas of responsibility.
He urged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify the offensive action against drug cartels, while ensuring a balance with drug demand reduction efforts.