In a significant blow to drug trafficking operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized a substantial cache of ‘Ghanaian Loud’, a potent strain of cannabis sativa, smuggled into Lagos from Ghana. The illicit cargo, hidden in two trucks and a J5 bus, amounted to an eye-watering total of 14,524.8 kilograms. The operation, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, January 28, 2024, in Lagos’s Ojuelegba area, led to the arrest of a 66-year-old driver linked to a notorious drug baron now in hiding.

Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, revealed that the agency has been on the trail of the elusive drug lord, Suleiman Jimoh (alias Olowo Idi Ogede, also known as Temo), for years, linking him to several high-value drug shipments. This latest seizure underscores the relentless efforts of the NDLEA to curb the flow of illegal drugs into Nigeria.

The crackdown extended beyond Lagos, with NDLEA operatives making significant arrests across the country. In a dramatic turn of events in Idumota, Lagos, operatives apprehended three individuals attempting to loot a sealed warehouse, confiscating over half a million pills of tramadol and other opioids. Meanwhile, efforts in Kaduna led to the arrest of a deaf and dumb suspect and another individual in possession of cannabis, further showcasing the agency’s wide-reaching impact on drug trafficking networks.

Additional operations in Abuja, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Ondo resulted in more arrests and the destruction of cannabis plantations, highlighting the comprehensive approach taken by the NDLEA to dismantle the drug trade from cultivation to distribution. The agency’s proactive stance is not limited to enforcement actions; it also includes extensive community engagement through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation lectures, reaching schools, markets, and various groups nationwide.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), NDLEA chairman and chief executive officer, lauded the efforts of the operatives in Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Kogi, and the FCT. He encouraged all NDLEA personnel to intensify their vigilance and efforts in both reducing drug supply and demand, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to a drug-free Nigeria.