A snake guarded shrine used to store illicit drugs in Igor community, Benin city, Edo State, has been raided by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) who detected a specially constructed large hole storage in a wall covered with wallpapers and fetish objects.
Different quantities of illicit substances such as methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743 kilograms, were pulled out from the deep hole dug in the wall of the shrine building.
The Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi made this known in a statement on Sunday.
According to Babafemi, two ladies: Sonia Chinonso Ezumezu and Risikatu Tijani were arrested during the intelligence-led operation on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 after the big black snake guarding the shrine was demobilised.
In the same vein, two suspects: Obi Ferguson, 45, and Ernest Abanum, 46, were arrested on Saturday June 22, when NDLEA operatives raided the Usen forest in Ovia South West LGA, Edo State where 209kg cannabis and a motorcycle were recovered.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Lagos intercepted a carefully packaged consignment of 8.2 kilograms of methamphetamine at a motor park in Mazamaza, Ojo area of the state.
The highly addictive illicit substance, also called ice or crystal meth was packed in imported Dunkin’ turtle love chocolate wraps and then concealed in the casing of three loud speakers.
A 39-year-old suspect, Michael Odiomume who was sending the consignment to Owerri, Imo State was promptly arrested on Wednesday, June 19 at the park.
The statement further read: “In Abuja, operatives on Tuesday 18th June intercepted a white Nissan Frontier pick up vehicle with amber lights and fake registration number of a security agency at Kiyi village in Kuje area of the FCT.
“The vehicle was loaded with 454 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 340.8kg procured at Uzeba, Edo state. A 76-year-old grandfather, Mr. Francis Omofa, linked to the consignment was arrested. He claimed to have been in the illicit drug business for 10 years”.
The anti-narcotic agency spokesperson highlighted that Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and teachers of St. Peters College, Nibo, Anambra; students and staff of Apostolic Grammar School, Ilesa, Osun State; students and teachers of Immanuel Baptist High School, Oyo town, Oyo State.
Others are students and staff of Federal Government Science and Technical College, Otukpa, Benue State, as well as WADA advocacy lecture for Muslim faithful during their juma’at prayer in Umuahia, Abia State and a WADA advocacy visit to the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah by the state Command of NDLEA.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of Edo, Lagos, and FCT Commands, noted the balance in their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts as well as those of their compatriots across the country.
He charged them to maintain the ongoing offensive action against drug cartels as they continue to intensify their war against drug abuse, WADA, social advocacy campaign.
