The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested Abubakar Ibrahim, the village head of Gidan Abba in Bodinga local government area of Sokoto State, for alleged possession of pharmaceutical opioids, cannabis and khat among other illicit drugs.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said Ibrahim was among eleven suspects arrested in interdiction operations in which 991,320 pills of pharmaceutical opioids and 1,251kgs of cannabis were seized.
Babafemi added that khat as well as 46.637 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin were recovered by operatives of the Agency from the suspects.
The statement reads: “At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO import shed on Wednesday 26th October intercepted a total of 15 cartons containing 802,000 pills of Tramadol imported from Dubai, UAE and Karachi, Pakistan.
“While 10 cartons of Tramadol 225mg came in from Dubai on Ethiopian Airlines flight, four cartons of 100mg and a carton of 225mg Tramadol came from Karachi, Pakistan on another Ethiopian Airlines flight.
“On the same day, operatives at the SAHCO export shed intercepted cans of tomato paste going to the United Kingdom. A thorough search of the consignment revealed that the tomato cans were used to conceal 36 pellets of cannabis with a gross weight of 21.30 kilograms while a cargo agent, Sodehinde Akinwale has been arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Two days after, Friday 28th October, operatives attached to the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport seized five cartons of dried khat leaves, weighing 107.70kgs that came in from Bangkok, Thailand through Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight.