Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested ex-convict and Malaysian returnee, Ndubuisi Udatu (aka Richard), with 2.700 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in two huge music speakers.
Udatu, 41, packaged the four large parcels of illicit substances for distribution in Yola and Mubi, Adamawa State, and across the border into Cameroon.
The Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement made available to Thelensng on Sunday.
“Ndubuisi was arrested inside a commercial transport bus at an NDLEA check point at Namtari along Ngurore -Yola road, Adamawa on Monday 7th April 2025. He was found with two new music speakers used to conceal four packages of methamphetamine and monetary exhibit of ₦22,300.
“In his statement, he claimed he returned to Nigeria to continue his illicit drug trade after serving out his jail term in Malaysia where he had been arrested, convicted and sent to prison for drug trafficking offences,” the statement noted.
Similarly, NDLEA officers in a joint border operation with Customs personnel at the Nigeria/Cameroon border, Mfum, Cross River State apprehended a trans-border drug trafficker, Odoh Peter Ikechukwu, 35, with 8,740 ampoules of assorted opioids, weighing 395kg.
Babafemi highlighted the intercepted narcotics, including 1,080 ampoules of fentanyl injection; 2,160 ampoules of morphine sulphate injection; 3,010 ampoules of phenobarbital sulphate injection; 2,160 ampoules of pethidine injection; and 330 ampoules of midazolam injection.
Elsewhere (Kano), the agency’s operatives on Friday, April 11, 2025 nabbed Aliyu Ibrahim, 27, with 20 ATM cards and 25,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and 250mg at Bachirawa area of the state.
Another suspect identified as Gambo Lawan, 48, was on Monday, April 7, arrested in a follow up operation at Wazobia motor park, Gwagwalada FCT, Abuja following the seizure of a consignment of 8,960 pills of tramadol by the anti-narcotics agency on routine check along Gwagwalada Expressway.
The statement added: “Not less than 124 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in 11 jumbo bags were on Friday 11th April recovered from the boot of a Lexus car marked KTU 54 CU driven by a suspect, Ademiluyi Adedapo Collins, 58, along Mokwa-Jebba road, Niger State.”
However, the Commands of the Agency across the country continued to balance their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaigns in schools, markets, worship centres and communities in the past week.
The activities include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of New Era Secondary School, Nteje, Anambra; Promise Land College, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos; Cherryfield College, Jikwoyi, FCT; Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Others are Nurul Faruq Islamic Academy, Gombi, Adamawa State, while the Kwara State Command paid a WADA advocacy visit to Oloro of Oro kingdom, Oba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye Titiloye Olufayo II, to mention a few.
Reacting to the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the efforts of the officers and men of Adamawa, Cross River, FCT, Kano and Niger State Commands of the Agency for job well done.
Marwa tasked them and their compatriots nationwide not to rest on their oars but continue to raise the bar in their offensive action against drug cartels with an equal measure of drug demand reduction efforts.
