By Correspondent in Abuja.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 75-year-old grandfather, Uchelue Ikechukwu, for allegedly trafficking 26.7 kilogrammes of skunk in Anambra State, in what officials described as part of a sweeping crackdown on drug cartels across the country.
The septuagenarian was arrested alongside five other suspects during coordinated raids in Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area, and other locations in the state.
Those arrested include Eneh Makuo, Emmanuel Chiemeli, Uwakwe Matthew, Chukwujekwu Ehirim, Ifeanyichukwu Olisa, and Odoh Chukwuma. The NDLEA said the suspects were found in possession of various quantities of opioids and skunk.
According to security experts, Skunk in the context of crime refers to a potent strain of cannabis (marijuana/weed). They said that it usually has higher levels of THC (the psychoactive compound) than regular cannabis, making it more intoxicating and sometimes more harmful.
According to security experts, Skunk, in the context of crime, refers to a potent strain of cannabis (marijuana/weed). They said that it usually has higher levels of THC (the psychoactive compound) than regular cannabis, making it more intoxicating and sometimes more harmful.
The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Sunday, adding that the agency had simultaneously dismantled a 71.5-hectare cannabis farm in Taraba State.
Operatives supported by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies stormed the Mayodoga forest in Sardauna LGA where 178,750 kilogramnes of skunk were destroyed. The farm’s owner, 30-year-old Alfa Andrew, was caught with a Dane gun while attempting to resist arrest.
In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives intercepted 104,900 tramadol capsules hidden inside the driver’s compartment of a fuel tanker believed to be heading to insurgents in Borno State. The driver, Hassan Buba, was arrested at the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate.
Other major arrests across the country include:Kaduna: Kabir Sulaiman, 45, caught with 34.15kg of skunk at Gwargwaje–Zaria checkpoint.
Borno: Uchenna Umeh, 33, described as a “major opioid supplier,” arrested in Maiduguri with 30,640 tramadol pills, 7,940 rohypnol tablets, and ₦7.99 million in cash.
Nasarawa: Abubakar Dauda, 36, arrested with 79,040 tramadol and diazepam pills; another suspect, Babangida Tungura, 47, nabbed with 30,410 tramadol and Rohypnol tablets, plus 38 bottles of codeine cough syrup concealed in a freezer.
Adamawa: Mohammed Ali, 23, linked to a consignment of 15,000 tramadol capsules hidden in animal feed sacks; while Hamisu Abdullahi was arrested after 58kg of skunk concealed in sacks of pepper were traced to him.
Kano: Several arrests yielded over 250,000 exol-5 tablets, 8,080 bottles of new psychoactive substances, and 25.7kg of skunk.
Edo & Ondo: Large seizures of opioids and cannabis from commercial vehicles and forest camps.
Lagos: 164kg of skunk recovered from Mushin hideout.
Ekiti: The state’s largest haul of Loud and Colorado cannabis seized from a 42-year-old drug kingpin, Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu, also known as “Atiku.”
The NDLEA said the operations were complemented by its ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, with sensitization campaigns in schools, churches, mosques, palaces, and workplaces nationwide.
Reacting to the nationwide busts, NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised operatives across Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Edo, Ondo, Lagos, and Ekiti for their “resilience in dismantling drug syndicates and protecting communities from the devastating effects of illicit substances.”
“These arrests show that no one is above the law, not even a 75-year-old grandfather, when it comes to drug trafficking,” Marwa said.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
