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Tag: NDLEA

  • NDLEA intercepts illicit drugs in wedding gown, nabs 400-level undergraduate

    NDLEA intercepts illicit drugs in wedding gown, nabs 400-level undergraduate

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two drug consignments consisting of ecstasy and skunk going to United Arab Emirate.

    NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that NDLEA officers attached to courier companies made the interception.

    Babafemi said that the pills of ecstasy were concealed in a gold colour wedding gown, adding that the skunk was hidden in a micro controller.

    This is even as a 400-level Marine Engineering student at the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa state, Kelvin Ogenedoro, has been arrested for dealing in 600grams of skunk.

    Babafemi said that the suspect was nabbed at the university’s gate in a follow up operation following the interception of the consignment in a commercial bus along Tombia-Amassoma road.

    In another development, in Adamawa State, a notorious drug dealer, Ishaku Emzor (aka Lalas) who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2010 for drug offences, was on Thursday 20th April arrested for drug dealing.

    Babafemi said that he was arrested at Hayin Gada, Imburu Numan LGA where he went to supply 1.650kg cannabis to an undercover operative.

    “His Yellow Press Cub motorcycle used for supplying illicit drugs was recovered from him at the point of arrest.

    “Also, a cash of N78,120 suspected to be proceed of the illegal business were also seized from him.

    “On the same day in Kaduna, operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a truck conveying 110 bags and 200 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa in Zaria.

    “The drugs were weighing 1,223kg while the truck driver, Adekunle Olanrewaju, 32, and his assistant, Tunde Jamiu, 20, were arrested, ” he said.

  • NDLEA arrests Surinamese man with cocaine concealed in condoms

    NDLEA arrests Surinamese man with cocaine concealed in condoms

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old South American man from Suriname, Dadda Lorenzo Harvy Albert, for drug trafficking.

    The Director, Media, and Advocacy (NDLEA), Mr Femi Babafemi, revealed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said that the suspect was arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Rivers state, for bringing into Nigeria 117 parcels of cocaine.

    He said that the drugs were concealed in extra-large latex condoms factory packed inside bottles of 100ml body spray.

    He also said that the suspect claimed he departed his country, Suriname, located in the North Eastern coast of South America on April 2 for Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    He added that he departed from Sao Paulo to Nigeria on Friday on April 7, on board Qatar Airways flight in search of his long-lost Nigerian father whom he called “Omini.”

    In the same vein, NDLEA officers at Tincan seaport in Lagos intercepted 110 parcels of Colorado.

    Babafemi said that the strain of cannabis, weighing 55kg, were hidden in a container, marked MSCU 4972769 from Toronto via Montreal, Canada.

    He said that the illicit consignment was discovered in the container bearing five units of used vehicles, during a joint examination of the cargo by NDLEA and other port stakeholders.

    “The seizure was part of a total of 1,559.3 kilograms (1.5 tons) of the psychoactive substance seized during interdiction operations in five states in the past week,”he said.

    Meanwhile, two suspects: Nura Ibrahim, 40, and Habibu Sadiq, 38, were arrested with 120 blocks of cannabis, weighing 148.7kg, along Zaria-Kano road on Sunday, April 2.

    Babafemi said that not less than 418.5kg of the same substance and a sienna space bus used in conveying it were recovered on Thursday, April 6, at a notorious drug hub, Patey, Lagos Island.

    “A suspect, Azi Solomon, was arrested same day at Ojota garage while attempting to move 23kg cannabis to another state,” he said.

  • NDLEA extends recruitment exercise by one week

    NDLEA extends recruitment exercise by one week

    Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) the Chairman/chief executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has approved the extension of the close of application on its recruitment portal by a week to enable applicants having challenges submitting their applications take advantage of the additional days to complete the process.

    The spokesperson of the NDLEA said the online application portal was opened on Sunday, 12th March and originally scheduled to close on Saturday 8th April, but with the one-week extension, the portal will remain open till midnight of Monday 17th April.

    Babafemi also said this extension will enable applicants who are yet to complete their application process to do so and those interested but yet to sign up to also take advantage of the extra days to fill their application on the portal.

    According to NDLEA only shortlisted applicant will be reached out to progress in the recruitment exercise.

  • NDLEA arrests 352 suspects, seizes 2.1 tonnes of illicit drugs in Kano

    NDLEA arrests 352 suspects, seizes 2.1 tonnes of illicit drugs in Kano

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has arrested 352 suspects and seized 2.1 tonnes of illicit drugs in Kano State.

    The NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, made the disclosure in an interview NAN in Kano on Thursday.

    Idris-Ahmad said that the seizures and arrests were made between January and March.

    He said that the suspects arrested comprised of 208 males and 44 females, while the drugs seized included 955.304 kg of cannabis sativa and 1,225.05 kg of Codeine and Tramadol.

    Others according to him,  were 25 grammes of cocaine, 17 grammes of heroine and 52 grammes of methamphetamine.

    The commander said that the major challenge before the agency in the state was convincing communities to expose peddlers of illicit drugs in their midst.

    “Our challenge is being able to educate the communities to provide useful information about the hideouts of drug users or peddlers whose activities had continued to impact negatively on the society.

    “People should be aware of the dangers that drug users or traffickers constitute in the society so that the public will come out with useful information to ensure a drug-free society,” Idris-Ahmad said.

    He therefore appealed to the general public to provide useful and timely information on drug traffickers to the command, so as to take them out of circulation and safeguard the society.

  • NDLEA declares prophetess, celebrity couple wanted

    NDLEA declares prophetess, celebrity couple wanted

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a Port Harcourt, Rivers state based popular prophetess and founder of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, Faith Ugochi and a celebrity couple: Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen wanted for recruiting teenage girls into drug trafficking while they serve as the arrowheads of an international syndicate operating from Los Angeles, USA.

    The lid was blown off the cartel when NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos intercepted a consignment of 32.70 kilograms of Loud, a strong variant of cannabis concealed in cartons of used wears on Wednesday 16th November 2022.

    A freight agent, Ukoh Ifeanyi Oguguo was immediately arrested while further investigations led to the arrest of four more suspects: Chikodi Favour; Obiyom Shalom Chiamaka; Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana).

    The 15-year-old Favour was the first sales girl to be arrested at a fuel station in Ajah area of Lagos. She thereafter led the operatives to a duplex accommodation around Ikate area of Lekki, which was later discovered to be a rented apartment by the criminal group purposely for four young girls that the syndicate uses for marketing and distribution of illicit drugs. Another girl, Shalom who is a fresh graduate of Agricultural Science from Rivers State University of Science and Technology was picked from the house alongside Favour.

    During their preliminary interviews, it was learnt that the syndicate rented another building used as drugs warehouse inside Richmond Estate, Lekki. By the time operatives located the house, it was discovered that other members of the syndicate had broken into the store and carted away bags of illicit substances.

    However, some illicit drugs paraphernalia including sealing machine, bloating machine and packaging bags were recovered from the warehouse. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Edward Omatseye at his residence around Lekki area. Edward confessed during interview to be working for Igho and his wife, Danielle, who are identified as the overall heads of the criminal group.

    Investigation was able to establish that Favour and Shalom were recruited as salesgirls in the illicit drug trade by Prophetess Faith Ugochi of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, using her church platform to recruit teenage girls brought to her for help, on behalf of the celebrity couple: Igho Ubiribo (aka Tiny) and Danielle Simba Allen (aka Dani), who are the owners of the business, while Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) coordinates the illicit drug trade activities for them in Nigeria, with Nnochiri Chidinma Promise as representative of Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company responsible for the shipment of illicit consignments into the country.

    While Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) have already been charged to court and are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court, Lagos alongside Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company which had been linked to two previous drug seizures and also involved in the current case, several attempts to get Prophetess Faith Ugochi, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen submit themselves for questioning have proved abortive.

    A letter of invitation sent to Prophetess Faith Ugochi of Christ Adoration Ministries, No. 27 Anozie Street, Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on 28th November 2022 was received and acknowledged by her mother, with whom she runs the Church. The letter was followed with a reminder on 9th January, 2023 after a long wait.

    In the same vein, letters of invitation were also extended to Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen. A reminder was also sent when the couple didn’t show any readiness to respond to the first invitation. While Prophetess Ugochi fled her home and went into hiding but continued her prophetic ministration on Facebook, the duo of Igho and Danielle initially sent a legal representation to ask for another time to honour the invitation, they have since gone incommunicado.

    Curiously, they hurriedly moved all funds traced to their company Lasgidi Backwood Ltd where all proceeds from the sales of illicit drugs were deposited into a private account of one Victor Imagoro. The Agency has since blocked the sum of Eighty Million Naira (N80,000,000) traced to the account and obtained a court order to seize all properties including a fuel station linked to the suspects in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

    The NDLEA has further sought and obtained an order of the Federal High Court Lagos to declare wanted the celebrity couple: Ubiribo Igho and Danielle Allen, as the arrowheads of the illicit trade as well as Prophetess Faith Ugochi, who recruits teenage girls as sales representatives for the duo.

    Meanwhile, the Agency in collaboration with other stakeholders including the Customs Service on Friday 31st March conducted a joint examination of two containers marked TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where One Hundred and Forty-Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand (143,800,000 tablets) pills of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3tons (10,386kgs). The opioid pills, which were mixed with cartons of sweet were imported from India. The interception followed credible intelligence and cooperation of sister agencies.

    In the same vein, officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, have intercepted at a courier firm a cargo of 1.5kg cocaine concealed in a carton declared to contain hair cream, shampoo, hair rollers and burners, going to London, UK.

    In Kaduna, operatives on Monday 27th March raided Dan Wata village, Soba LGA where they arrested one Abdurrashid Musa, 33, with 142.8kg cannabis while the principal suspect, Ibro Danwata is still at large, while another suspect, Shamsu Abdullahi (aka Waja), 35, was also arrested the previous day during a follow up operation at Rigasa Kaduna, after he had abandoned 80,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 13.4kg and escaped arrest earlier.

    No less than 63 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 600kg stored in a house at Okpe village in Akoko-Edo LGA were recovered on Friday 31st March when operatives raided the area, while a raid of a warehouse owned by one Shehi Mallam at tomatoes market, Dei Dei Abuja same day led to the seizure of 80 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 842.4 kilograms. In Cross River, 12,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg were seized from a female passenger, Talatu Sale Adamu, 46, when NDLEA officers intercepted the commercial bus she was travelling in along Ogoja/ Katsina-Ala road on Monday 27th March.

    While a suspect, Abraham Alaigwu was arrested at Slaughter, Trans/Amadi area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state with 91.7kg of cannabis on Thursday 30th March, 228kg of same substance was seized from Ayodele Osuya, 35, in a Toyota Camry car around Quarter Guard area of Akure, Ondo state.

    While commending the officers and men of MMIA for a painstaking investigation of Prophetess Faith Ugochi and the celebrity couple, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen along with other members of their cartel, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) assured that no effort will be spared to ensure the fleeing suspects are brought to face the consequences of their action. He also expressed his gratitude to operatives of Apapa, DOGI, Edo, Cross River, Rivers, Kaduna, FCT and Ondo Commands of the Agency for their resilience, professionalism and excellent synergy with other security agencies in their areas of responsibility.

    He charged them and their colleagues across the country to continue to raise the bar in their daily attainments.

  • TARABA: NDLEA seizes 164,750 tramadol pills

    TARABA: NDLEA seizes 164,750 tramadol pills

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized 164,750 tramadol and other illicit pills in Taraba State.

    This was disclosed by its spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday in Abuja.

    He stated that the drugs were seized from two suspects – Henry Abuchi and Daniel Ugwoke.

    He added that 96 compressed blocks of Indian hemp weighing 82kg concealed inside jumbo bags of cassava flour were also recovered at Basket Market, Asaba.

    NDLEA operatives also recovered 45 blocks of compressed Indian hemp weighing 23kg on the Okene-Abuja Highway in Kogi on March 21 from one Abubakar Muhammad.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) learned that Muhammad was traveling in a bus that left Lagos for Maiduguri before his arrest.

    A female drug dealer, Mrs Kudirat Bello was arrested at Igbesa in Ogun on March 20 with different quantities of methamphetamine, Indian hemp, rophynol and N119, 600 monetary exhibits, he stated.

    “In Lagos, more than 1,000kg of Indian hemp were recovered from three suspects – Bolaji Adesina, Femi Ojo and Jamiu Useni during a raid at Mushin,’’ Babafemi added.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Tramadol, sold under the brand name Ultram among others, is an opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain.

    When taken by mouth in an immediate-release formulation, the onset of pain relief usually begins within an hour. It is also available by injection. It is available in combination with paracetamol (acetaminophen).

    As is typical of opioids, common side effects include constipation, itchiness, and nausea. Serious side effects may include hallucinations, seizures, increased risk of serotonin syndrome, decreased alertness, and drug addiction. A change in dosage may be recommended in those with kidney or liver problems.

    It is not recommended in those who are at risk of suicide or in those who are pregnant. While not recommended in women who are breastfeeding, those who take a single dose should not generally have to stop breastfeeding.

    Tramadol is converted in the liver to O-desmethyltramadol (desmetramadol), an opioid with a stronger affinity to the μ-opioid receptor. Tramadol is also a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).

    Tramadol was patented in 1963 and launched under the name “Tramal” in 1977 by the West German pharmaceutical company Grünenthal GmbH.

    In the mid-1990s, it was approved in the United Kingdom and the United States. It is available as a generic medication and marketed under many brand names worldwide. In 2020, it was the 35th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 17 million prescriptions.

  • Recruitment: NDLEA assures applicants of seamless online application process

    Recruitment: NDLEA assures applicants of seamless online application process

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has assured candidates seeking to participate in its ongoing recruitment exercise that concerted efforts are being made to resolve challenges they are facing on the application portal with a view to make the process seamless.

    The agency’s assurance is contained in a statement signed by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi in Abuja.

    Babafemi, who acknowledged the technical glitches on its portal, however, said that the agency was making efforts with a view to making the process become seamless.

    Barely hours after the online application portal was opened on March 12, it began to experience glitches due to the heavy traffic of over 200,000 applicants trying to access the system.

    Babafemi said: “to resolve this, the agency upgraded the infrastructure on Tuesday March, 14 to accommodate the large volume of applicants after over 53,170 applicants had successfully logged into the portal.

    “At the moment, the system is synchronizing the data at the back-end of the infrastructure in order to adjust to the server upgrade.

    “The agency’s management therefore wishes to apologise to the applicants for the hitches being experienced, “he said.

    He urged applicants to be patient while the system completes synchronisation to serve them better.

  • Alleged drug trafficking: NDLEA arrests Ex-Boko Haram fighter, traditional ruler

    Alleged drug trafficking: NDLEA arrests Ex-Boko Haram fighter, traditional ruler

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a rehabilitated ex-fighter of the Boko Haram terror group, Alayi Madu for alleged drug trafficking.

    The agency said that it also arrested Baale  Akunola Adebayo’, the traditional ruler of Kajola, a border town between Ondo State and Edo, in connection with the alleged crime.

    This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media, and Advocacy, NDLEA Mr. Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said that the traditional ruler was arrested in Kajola.

    He said the arrests were part of ongoing operations to mop up illicit drugs across the country ahead of the next round of elections.

    He also said that NDLEA officers in the early hours of Friday,  March 10,  stormed Kajola forest in Kajola community, a border town between Edo and Ondo state where they destroyed three cannabis farms, measuring 39.801546 hectares.

    “The owner of the farms who claims to be the Ba’ale of Kajola, Akinola Adebayo, 35, was arrested on the farm at 2:30am.

    “Two other suspects believed to be his workers: Arikuyeri Abdulrahman, 23, and Habibu Ologun, 25, were also nabbed in a hut near the farms.

    “Also, a 26-year-old Alayi Madu, who was a Boko Haram fighter for 15 years before he surrendered to the Nigerian military in 2021, was intercepted by NDLEA operatives.”

    Babafemi said the suspect was arrested on Thursday, March 9 along Abuja-Kaduna express road with 10 kilograms of skunk.

    According to him, he said he bought it in Ibadan, Oyo state, and was taking the consignment concealed in a sack to Maiduguri, Borno.

    “In his statement, Madu said he is from Banki town in Borno and joined the notorious terrorist organisation in 2006 when he was nine years old.

    “He said he repented and surrendered to the military in 2021, after which he underwent rehabilitation and de-radicalisation processes at Umaru Shehu rehabilitation centre, Maiduguri and Malam Sidi de-radicalization centre, Gombe, before he was discharged after spending six months.

    “Thereafter, he traveled to Ibadan, Oyo state where he worked as commercial motorcycle rider (Okada rider) before going into drug trafficking and his eventual arrest along Abuja-Kaduna express road, ” he said.

  • NDLEA nabs India-bound businessman with heroin at Lagos airport

    NDLEA nabs India-bound businessman with heroin at Lagos airport

    A businessman, Kingsley Celestino, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with over 9.40kg of heroin concealed in false bottoms of his two travelling bags, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Kingsley, the India-bound businessman, who was a business class passenger on Qatar Airlines flight, got arrested at Terminal 2 of the MMIA on Saturday, March 4, on his way to India.

    Though the businessman is a native of Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, the 49-year-old was travelling with a Guinean international passport.

    The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed these in a statement on Sunday.

    Babafemi said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect frequently travels to India on business class tickets. He claimed he deals in the clothing business between Nigeria and India. It was further established that he obtained the Guinean international passport in Guinea Bissau, where he said his mother came from.

    “In the same vein, a 24-year-old passenger travelling to Oman, Etounu Monday, was intercepted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, February 27, during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight ET 950 while attempting to export 1.924kg of skunk concealed in cream tubes.”

    Also, at the Tincan seaport, Lagos, the NDLEA operatives on Friday, March 3, recovered 244 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 79 kilograms concealed in medium size wooden sound system speakers packed inside two out of four used vehicles in a container marked CRSU9258348 coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada. The imported vehicles used as cover for the drugs are a 2009 Jeep Wrangler and a 2009 Honda Ridgeline.

    NDLEA nabs India-bound businessman with heroin at Lagos airport
    Similarly, the NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, attached to courier firms in Lagos intercepted a consignment of nine parcels of methamphetamine concealed in native black soap, Dudu Osun, heading to Europe.

    Babafemi also noted that no fewer than 778,190 pills of pharmaceutical opioids including tramadol and a drum of 270kg Methylene Chloride were recovered by operatives from a suspect, Eric Pepe Yohanna, 33, in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Monday, February 27, following credible intelligence. Also seized from him is a Daylong tricycle used in distributing the illicit substances.

    In Adamawa State, the house of a wanted notorious drug dealer, Mamudu Njobdi, at Sebore, Gyalla road Dougada ward, Mubi was raided in the early hours of Monday, February 27, where the suspect was arrested and drug exhibits were recovered.

    The 31-year-old suspect was earlier arrested on Wednesday, February 22, at his drug joint in Kolere water board but mobilised thugs to attack the NDLEA officers and in the process escaped with exhibits.

    While a suspect, Geoffrey Okpani, 31, was arrested at Bukuru area of Jos, Plateau State, with 27.45kg of cannabis, Ajayi Tope, 30, was arrested on Saturday, March 4, at Area 5 Ile-Ife, in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State with 18kg of the same substance.

    In Lagos, the NDLEA operatives on Friday, March 3 raided De-Niche Hotel & Suites, Omole Estate, Ojodu Ikeja where 24 suspects were arrested and different quantities of illicit drugs recovered from them.

  • NDLEA storms Edo forest, destroys 7,286kgs skunk after gun battle

    NDLEA storms Edo forest, destroys 7,286kgs skunk after gun battle

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have stormed the Ujiogba Forest Reserve in Esan West LGA, Edo, and destroyed 7,286 kilograms (72.86 tons) of skunk and five hectares of its plantation.

    The Director, Media, and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said the operation was carried out ahead of the 2023 general elections on Feb. 25.

    He said special operation carried out on Feb. 22, followed credible intelligence that some cartels had warehoused hundreds of jumbo bags of the illicit substance.

    These, he said, were located inside the thick forest of the reserve for distribution to some states ahead of the general elections.

    He added that the operation could, however, not go on immediately until after several road blocks set up by armed guards of the drug lords were cleared.

    According to him, they were overpowered by the superior firepower of Strike Force officers of the Agency in a gun duel.

    “After the initial resistance, two rifles, spent cartridges of short guns and an empty shell of AK47 rifle were recovered while a 24-year-old suspect, Calvary Essien, was arrested.

    “After the gun fight, the NDLEA operatives successfully descended on a big warehouse constructed with wood and zinc containing:

    “100 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 3.2 tons; 5,000 bags of cannabis weighing 65 tons; and 137 bags of cannabis seeds weighing 4.66 tons, totaling 72.86 tons.

    “Seven bags of cannabis and one bag of its seeds were subsequently taken out of the warehouse for further investigation and prosecution of suspects while the rest was set ablaze,” he said.

    Babafemi said this was coming on the heels of a similar operation on Jan. 18, in the Opuje forest in Owan West Local Government Area of the state.

    He said massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of the psychoactive substance were destroyed and set ablaze in a two-day operation.

    “At least, a police impersonator, Omoruan Theophilus, 37, who was parading as a Police Inspector to convey the drugs from the forests to the cities and three others: Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53, and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in connection with the drugs,” he said.

    Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending all the officers involved in the effort and the 10,000 officers deployed across the country in the renewed pre-election offensive.

    Marwa said the deployment was neccessary to clear every part of the country of illicit substances for use by thugs and miscreants before, during, and after the elections.

    He said taking the battle to the doorsteps of the cartels, deep in the forests, was to attack the menace of drug supply from the source.

    He added that it was also to send the right message to the barons that there was no safe haven for them and their investments anywhere in Nigeria.