By Michael Olugbode
A 35-year-old Chadian male alleged to be the supplier of illicit drugs to Boko Haram and bandits, has been arrested by the operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with assorted hard drugs.
The suspect, Adama Issa, according to a statement by the Head, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi was arrested on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 in Jalingo, Taraba State with 21.7 kilogrammes of Tramadol and other illicit substances.
His arrest came barely a week after a 70-year-old Nigerien who supplied Boko Haram and bandits with illicit drugs was apprehended by NDLEA.
According to the Commander, Taraba State Command of the NDLEA, Mr. Suleiman Jadi, the suspect could speak only French and Arabic.
He claimed he was taking the illicit substances to Chad Republic before he was intercepted in Jalingo.
Jadi said investigations had however shown that he was a major supplier of illicit drugs to Boko Haram insurgents.
He said at the point of interdiction, that the drugs, which he bought from Onitsha in Anambra State, were concealed inside new ladies’ handbags and
shoes.
In a related development, operatives of the anti-drug law enforcement agency have raided drug joints in Warri Street, Kaduna, where 29.5 grammes of cocaine and heroin were recovered along with 456 grammes of rophynol tablets.
Two peddlers: Suleiman Yusuf and Abubakar Abdullahi were arrested during the sting operation.
In another interdiction, a 181-kilogramme of cannabis sativa was seized in Gaidam, Yobe State and a suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.
The Yobe State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Apeh Reuben disclosed that the consignment was transported from Lagos to Yobe and was moving from Yobe to Niger republic, before the traffickers were intercepted at the border post in Gaidam, while attempting to cross to Niger Republic.
Speaking on the latest interceptions, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), while commending the Taraba, Kaduna and Yobe States’ Commands for their vigilance and resilience in the ongoing offensive action against illicit drugs and traffickers, charged the officers and men involved in the operations and across other commands not to relax until the last drug cartel is dismantled in the country.
He said: “We have made a commitment that the criminal elements will always have us to contend with in their illicit trade and that’s why we must not rest on our oars; we must continue to raise the bar in our drug supply reduction activities and drug demand reduction efforts
