A Chadian suspected drug supplier to Boko Haram and another alleged trans-border drug traffickers were reported to have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Taraba and Yobe States respectively.
While the Chadian drug dealer, 35-year-old, Adama Issa, was nabbed in Jalingo, Taraba State, the trans-border supplier was picked by the agency personnel in Gaidam, Yobe state, during a routine enforcement exercise.
Also arrested during NDLEA raid of drug dealers’ hideout across the country were two peddlers, Suleiman Yusuf, and Abubakar Abdullahi, found with illegal substances in Kaduna State.
The arrest of the suspects were announced by the agency in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday and signed by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who further disclosed that 477grammes of cocaine and heroin were intercepted and recovered from the two peddlers in Kaduna.
On the Chadian suspected drug supplier, Babafemi said that he, like the 70-year-old Nigerien who supplies Boko Haram and bandits illicit drugs, also sells narcotics to the insurgents and was arrested yesterday with 21.70Kg of Tramadol 225mg and 250mg. Also seized from him were 15.7Kg of Exol.5; 100,050 France CAF and N61, 000.
“According to the Commander, Taraba state Command of the NDLEA, Suleiman Jadi, the suspect speaks only French and Arabic and claims he was taking the illicit substances to Chad Republic before he was intercepted in Jalingo.
“Investigations have however shown that he is a major supplier of illicit drugs to Boko Haram insurgents. At the point of interdiction, the drugs, which he bought from Onitsha in Anambra state, were concealed inside new ladies’ handbags and shoes”, he added.
Chadian Boko Haram Drug Supplier, Trans-border trafficker, Two Others in NDLEA Detention pic.twitter.com/hvQWZJlnYa
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For the trans-border drug trafficker, the agency’s spokesman explained that the suspect, whose name was not mentioned, was nabbed with 181 kilograms of cannabis sativa in Gaidam, Yobe state.
“The Yobe state Commander of the Agency, Apeh Reuben, disclosed that the consignment was transported from Lagos to Yobe and was moving from Yobe to Niger republic, but was intercepted at the border post in Gaidam, while attempting to cross to Niger Republic”.
A breakdown of the 477grams of drugs recovered in Kaduna showed that 29.5 were cocaine while heroin, 456 grammes of rophynol tablets, were taken.
While commending the Taraba, Kaduna, and Yobe states Commands for their vigilance and resilience in the ongoing offensive action against illicit drugs and traffickers, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. General, Buba Marwa (Retd) charged the officers and men involved in the operations and across other commands not to relax until the last drug cartel is dismantled in the country.
“We have made a commitment that the criminal elements will always have us to contend with in their illicit trade and that’s why we must not rest on our oars, we must continue to raise the bar in our drug supply reduction activities and drug demand reduction efforts”, he added.
