Nigeria Arrests Lagos-Ghana Tramadol Syndicate Kingpin, Kaduna Arms Supplier To Bandits

Operatives from the Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended Nigerian drug kingpin Chukwuemaka Obodozie.

The unit targets syndicates that specialise in shipping large consignments of opioids into neighbouring countries from where they attempt to smuggle them into Nigeria in smaller quantities through transport companies.

Obodozie was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, July 21 at Cele bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa express road, Lagos with 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg loaded in two bags shortly after his arrival from Ghana via a transport company.

The operation followed five months of surveillance around Chukwuemeka, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

The NDLEA also said no fewer than 17 suspects were arrested on Friday, July 26 when its operatives raided the Owena forest in the Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State.

According to the NDLEA, 31,250kg of cannabis on 12.5 hectares of farmland was destroyed while 84kg of processed cannabis sativa was recovered alongside a single-barrelled Dane gun.

The statement read in part, “Those arrested include: Peter Osuya, 51; Zebron Ode, 46; Dogo Reuben Matthew, 35; Isaac Terna; Joseph David Lawrence, 27; Ugochukwu Victory, 24; Olamilekan Abolarin, 26; Dele Ayibo, 44; Ojo Moses, 21; Nini Ayila, 27; Msughve Clement, 23; Chuks Ogeneku, 40; Dada Aribo, 20; Uche Endurance, 30; Patrick Agba, 21; Osakwe Kennedy, 45; and Ojo Babatunde, 29.

‘In Kaduna state, NDLEA operatives on stop and search patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway on Saturday 27th July intercepted a 32-year-old lady, Ubaida Aliyu in possession of 573 rounds of 7.60 live ammunition, which she claimed she was attempting to deliver to bandits in Sokoto.

“While a suspect, Godwin Udochukwu, 35, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 25,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway, another suspect, Alkasim Mikailu, 35, was nabbed in Kano on a follow up operation following the seizure of 37,880 ampoules of Diazepam injection along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“Two suspects: Abioye Adeniyi, 39, and Rafiu Lekan, 41, were arrested with 55 jumbo wraps of Ghana Loud by NDLEA operatives at Oloko along Badagry-Seme road, Lagos on Friday 26th July, while Samson Ifeayi Egwutouhi, 30, was nabbed same day by officers on patrol along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja express way with 20 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa that weighed 10.500kg.”

“In Bauchi State, two suspects: Suleiman Yahaya, 50, and Ibrahim Bello (a.k.a Special), 35, were on Thursday 25th July arrested with 315 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 204.750kg along Maiduguri bye-pass, Bauchi town,” the statement added.