Michael Olugbode
A major illicit drug kingpin in Anambra State, Mr. Okeke Chijioke, 44, has been arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He was caught with 548,000 tablets of Tramadol branded as Tarkadol stored in his warehouse at 3 Atunya street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle, Oyi Local Government Area in Anambra State.
A statement issued yesterday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi revealed that Okeke’s arrest on Saturday, July 10, 2021, followed credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed that he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.
Babafemi disclosed that after the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilogrammes were recovered.
He said the suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered, adding that preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention.
Babafemi further revealed that the substance has also tested positive to amphetamine.
He said the recovered drug was equally labeled 100 milligrammes pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, but laboratory tests confirmed it’s a 225- milligramme drug.
He said it was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification, adding that during the search on the warehouse, a double-barrel pump gun with three live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered.
He added that the operatives of the Benue State command of the agency on road patrol in Apir village on 14th July intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah LGA of Bauchi State.
In a related development, Babafemi said a a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba but supplies narcotics to dealers in Adamawa has been arrested in Numan area of the state.
He noted that Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug related charges.
The NDLEA Spokesman also revealed that a drug dealer, Mohammed Ali was earlier arrested on July 10, with 1.150 kilogrammes of diazepam in Numan.
He noted that a follow-up operation led to the arrest of Godiya, who supplied Ali with drugs, while investigation has since revealed that he was based in Mayolope village in Lau LGA of Taraba State, from where he supplies Jambutu park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.
He further disclosed that few days after Godiya’s arrest, another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu was nabbed with different quantities of tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, totalling 6.103 kilogrammes also in Numan on July 14, followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500 kilogrammes of cannabis in Gurin area of the state on Friday, July 16, 2021.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), while commending the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa State Commands for sustaining the offensive action in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every community in all parts of Nigeria, charged them to remain unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.
