Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted a massive consignment of 396,000 tramadol capsules at the Aliyu Mustapha International Airport in Yola, Adamawa State.
The interception, made on Friday, comes barely a week after the agency confiscated over 171,000 tramadol capsules during coordinated raids across Niger, Benue, and Taraba states.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, who announced the development in a statement on Sunday, confirmed the arrest of a 50-year-old suspect, Ahmed Isyaku Nda, linked to the Yola seizure.
According to him, “In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Friday 14th November recovered 396,000 capsules of tramadol from a suspect, Ahmed Isyaku Nda, 50, at Aliyu Mustapha International Airport, Yola, while 785kg of skunk was evacuated from the warehouse of a drug dealer currently at large at Asob Maraba Karu, Nasarawa state.”
In another major breakthrough, Babafemi revealed that a wanted drug kingpin—who had been posing as a businessman and hotel owner—was arrested in Lagos.
He stated, “The 42-year-old Ibemesi, who is the MD/CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig. Ltd, was arrested at his Daisy Garden Hotel, 66–68 Agbeke Street, Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Lagos, in the early hours of Saturday.”
Following his arrest, operatives led him to a warehouse on Pius Ezeobi Street, where they recovered 42 jumbo bags and four cartons of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing a total of 1,762.8 kilograms. Babafemi added that “$11,600, 2,000 British pounds, 2,200 euros, and 50 Canadian dollars” were also seized from him.
He further reported the disruption of a large drug syndicate operating from the Orita-Apeje and Araromi-Okeodo forest reserve in Ife South LGA of Osun State. The group had been preparing to move 11,135kg of processed skunk, but NDLEA officers foiled the operation after sustained surveillance.
Babafemi noted that “Two trucks being used to transport the illicit consignments — a Volvo truck marked WWR 29 XA and a Mercedes truck with registration number AWK 713 YZ — were seized, and seven suspects were arrested.”
The suspects include Lucky Abiodun, Julius Amos, Victor Ngbikili, Sunday Oduegwu, Ibrahim Akanni, Eze Godstime, and Fred Ifeanyichukwu.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), commended the operatives for their commitment and urged officers nationwide to continue upholding the agency’s balanced, strategic approach to drug control.
