Taiwo Jimoh 
Barely a week after seizing a shipment of 175,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have intercepted another consignment of 175,000 bottles of the same opioid, imported, from India. The Agency’s Spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement yes- terday said the two seizures followed earlier intelligence, which made the Agency request that the shipment be stepped down for 100 percent examination.
Babafemi said the latest seizure of 875 cartons of codeine contain- ing 175,000 bottles and weighing 26,250kg, was made on Friday June 7, 2024 during a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs Service and other security agencies. The container marked HASU 4787890 from India was enroute C to C bonded terminal in Enugu.
In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Wednesday June 5, intercepted five different parcels containing illicit drugs concealed in ladies’ clothes and synthetic hair going to the United States and United Kingdom. Some of the seized drugs include 620 ampoules of pentazocine injection, promethazine and other opioids.
The drug consignments were seized at a courier firm, While in Kebbi state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along KalgoBirnin Kebbi road on Saturday June 8, arrested a 32-year-old Nigerien, Hassan Mummuni with 4,000 pills of diazepam and 1.250kg cannabis, concealed in four pesticide tanks, while operatives in Gombe state same day arrested Ibrahim Abubakar (aka Alhajiji) at Herwagana, with 6,740 pills of tramadol and 20,000 tablets of di- azepam.
Not less than 1,098 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a suspect, Onyekachi ThankGod Iwula, 42, following his arrest in a commercial bus at Aloma junction, Otukpa, Ogbadibo LGA, Benue state. Also in Bauchi state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Ningi-Kano road on Wednesday June 5, arrested a 20-year-old lady, Hasana Usman, with 25 blocks of cannabis sativa that weighed 28.2kg, while their counterparts in Yobe state nabbed Ali Mohammed, 42, along Kano-Potiskum road, with 19,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in a black sack and the suspect’s travelling bag.
In Oyo state, 57-year-old Oladimeji Samson was arrested in a commercial bus at the Ibadan end, of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 79 blocks of can- nabis sativa weighing of 44.4kg and 48 grams of ecstasy, all concealed in the engine compartment under the driver’s seat of the bus.
Not less than 17,980 pills of tramadol and other opioids were seized from a suspect, Ali Isiaka Mohammed, 36, following his arrest at Ganaja village, Lokoja LGA, Kogi state, while the duo of Blessing Samuel, 35, and Unnanchi Mike, 34, were arrested with 804 bottles of codeine syrup at Narayi, Kaduna state. Also in Ka- duna, Tijjani Umar, 37, and Yahaya Suleman, 35, were arrested with 33.9 kilograms of cannabis sativa at Lafiya area, Kudan local government area of the state.
