The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized controlled drugs valued at over ₦2.6 billion in Jigawa State.
The development was announced by the Commander of the NDLEA in the state, Mr Musa Maina, while parading the suspects and exhibits at the command’s headquarters in Dutse, the state capital, on Monday.
According to Maina, the drugs were tracked and confiscated in Gumel following a three-day operation spanning Jigawa and Kano States.
“Three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure, and two vehicles were impounded,” he stated.
Maina disclosed that the suspects — Jamilu Muhammad, Abba Ibrahim, and Shuaibu Umar — were apprehended while attempting to distribute the drugs across Jigawa, Yobe, Bauchi States, and into Niger Republic.
He further noted that the impounded vehicles comprised a Toyota Sienna and an 18-seater Hummer bus, both loaded with the illicit substances.
The seized drugs included 118.6 tonnes of Tramadol tablets and 195.3 kilograms of Pregabalin capsules, among other substances.
Describing the operation as a major success achieved through intelligence gathering, Maina highlighted it as the agency’s most significant accomplishment in combating drug trafficking in the state.
He confirmed that the suspects are undergoing further investigation to identify the masterminds behind the trafficking network.
Maina reiterated the agency’s unwavering commitment to eradicating drug trafficking, assuring that the suspects would face prosecution in accordance with the law to serve as a deterrent to others.