A Lagos-based female lawyer, Ebikpolade Helen, who specialises in production and distribution of skuchies, a mixture of cannabis, opioids and blackcurrant, has been arrested during a follow-up operation in Awka, Anambra State, following an earlier seizure of 5kg Cannabis and 12 bottles of prepared skuchies in her apartment at Lekki, Lagos.
ALSO, 19-year-old student, Benjamin Nnamani Daberechi, has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempting to export 7.2 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in crayfish to Europe where he was going for undergraduate studies.
The teenager was intercepted last Wednesday during an outward clearance of passengers on Turkish Airlines flight TK 0624. While being interviewed by operatives, Daberechi claimed he was a student on his way to Cyprus for studies, but upon a thorough search of his luggage, he was found in possession of 7.2kg of whitish substance neatly concealed inside a sack of crayfish. A field test of the substance, however, proved positive to methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine (meth) is a synthetic stimulant that is addictive and can cause considerable health adversities that can sometimes result in death. Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally and is often used with other substances.
While Abubakar Shuaibu was arrested last Thursday at Cappa, Mushin/Oshodi road with 86 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 8.6 litres in his Toyota bus marked FFA 241YB, two other suspects, Razak Ogunbo and Adeola Idowu were nabbed on Tuesday, July 11 with 51 litres of skuchies at Ikorodu.
Spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday, said NDLEA, based on intelligence, requested for a 100 per cent examination of the container, which arrived at the TICT terminal of the port on June 14.
According to him, a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs, Department of State Services (DSS) and other stakeholders last Tuesday, led to the discovery of 233 parcels of the illicit substance stashed inside travelling bags on the floor of the container, covered with used vehicles’ spare parts.
Also, NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations (DOGI), Lagos, have thwarted attempts to export various quantities of illicit substances through courier companies.
While 336 grammes of skunk stuffed inside computer hard drives going to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), were seized at a courier firm, a suspect, Ibrahim Analu, 28, was arrested at Iddo motor park, Lagos, while attempting to send 151,700 pills of opioids to Kaduna.
Skunk is smoked like cannabis, contains carcinogenic substances and is often mixed with tobacco. A total of 4.830kg skunk was also discovered at another courier firm in a shipment from Douala, Cameroon passing through Nigeria to Oman.
The drug was concealed in 10 of 12 cans of palm fruit paste, locally called Banga, packed in a carton. In Ondo State, operatives stormed a building at Ehin-Ala, Akure South Local Council, where they arrested one Abubakar Zayanu Gyambar, 28, with 162 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 1,944 kilogrammes, while another suspect, Henry Wilson, 50, was nabbed at Ogume town, Ndokwa West Local Council of Delta State with same substance weighing 216.5kg.
A total of 45.41kg cannabis was recovered from Adam Hassan, 27, along Ingawa-Mani – Mashi Road, Katsina, en route Niger Republic, while 70kg of same substance was seized from Mamman Nur Shettima on Saturday, July 15, along Kano – Nguru Road, Yobe State.
In Kano, a suspect, Abdulhamid Lawan Bayaro, 48, was last Friday nabbed at Dan Agundi area, with 114 blocks of cannabis, weighing 71.7kg, just as operatives recovered 50,000 pills of Tamol, a brand of tramadol at Kofar Waika area of the state.
While about 912,600 pills of pharmaceutical opioids, including tramadol were recovered from two commercial vehicles, one coming from Lagos to Kano, the other was intercepted along Abuja-Jere-Kaduna expressway, with a suspect, Sahabi Lawal, 25, arrested.
In Borno State, 32-year-old Umar Tijjani Mustapha was arrested at Gangamari, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), with 55.25kg skunk on last Thursday.
MEANWHILE, Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has commended the tenacity of his officers and others involved in the successes recorded. Marwa charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain vigilant.
Culled: Guardian