NDLEA nabs drug kingpins in Anambra, Adamawa, Benue

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a notorious illicit drug kingpin in Anambra, Okeke Chijioke, 44.

Five hundred and forty-eight thousand (548,000) tablets of Tramadol branded as Tarkadol were also recovered from his warehouse at 3 Atunya Street, Maryland estate, Nkwelle, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.

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Okeke’s arrest penultimate Saturday followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.

Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that after the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500kgs were recovered.

According to him, the suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered.

“Preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention. The substance has also tested positive for amphetamine.

“The drug was equally labeled 100mg pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, while laboratory tests confirmed it’s a 225mg drug. It was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification.

“During the search of the warehouse, a double barrel pump gun with 3 live cartridges, whose license expired in 2019, was also discovered and recovered,” Babafemi said.

Also, operatives of the Benue State command of the agency on road patrol in Apir village, on 14 July, intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of Tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misau, Bauchi State.

In a related development, a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba State but supplies narcotics to dealers in Adamawa State has been arrested in the Numan area of the state. Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug-related charges.

A drug dealer, Mohammed Ali, had earlier been arrested on 10 July with 1.150kg of diazepam in Numan.

A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Godiya who supplied Ali, while investigation has since revealed that he is based in Mayolope village in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba, from where he supplies Jambutu park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.

The agency also arrested another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu, with Tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, amounting to 6.103kg in Numan on 14 July.

Other suspects, Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna, were also nabbed with 48.500kg of cannabis in the Gurin area of the state on Friday, 16 July, 2021.