Mrs. Sekinat Soremekun, a 75-year-old grandmother, was taken into custody by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) agents in Lagos State on charges of trading in illegal substances.
According to him, at the time of her arrest in the Oshodi area of Lagos on Friday, quantities of cannabis and litres of codeine syrup were recovered from her.
“She claimed her son, Segun who is now at large supplied her the illicit substances which she retailed,” Babafemi said.
Additionally, a multi-million-naira mansion at K-5A/2 Road 14, Victoria Garden City (VGC) estate, Lekki area of Lagos State, used as a covert laboratory for the production of methamphetamine by a drug baron convicted of charges and found guilty by the NDLEA, has been forfeited to the Federal Government.
On July 30, 2022, Okenwa and his partner Sunny Okeh Ukah were taken into custody. At the Federal High Court in Lagos, Okenwa was then charged with four counts under charge number FHC/L/527C/2022.
After entering guilty pleas, they were found guilty, given sentences of four and three years in jail, with the possibility of fines of N4 million and N3 million, respectively, as well as four and three weeks of community service.
He also forfeited his car, registered EKY 496 DJ, to the federal government.
In an effort to further prevent him from benefiting from the money he made illegally, the NDLEA filed a civil forfeiture charge at the Federal High Court in Lagos against the building that was used as a covert laboratory. The court first granted an interim forfeiture order, which expired on December 6, before imposing a final forfeiture on December 7, 2023.
On Thursday, Imo State law enforcement officers conducting patrols along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway apprehended a way-billed shipment that included 2.287 kg of cocaine.
The shipment coming from Lagos was concealed in cellophane condoms, and heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while a suspect, Isaac Okoh, 45, has been arrested over the incident.
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Also, no fewer than 10 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 100kgs were recovered from the ceiling of a dealer, Ibrahim Yahaya, 35, when his house was raided in the Tudun Kofa area of Lafia, Nasarawa State on Friday and he was also arrested.
At the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, over 1.5m pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol were intercepted in a cargo going to South Africa by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Two suspects: Bada Olanrewaju Akorede, and Amusan Olufela Sharafadeen have so far been arrested in connection with the consignment, which consists: 1,050,000 pills of tramadol 225mg and 510,000 tablets of rohypnol.
At the FCT Abuja, operatives on Friday intercepted a consignment of 1,496 bottles of codeine syrup at A.Y.A area of the city while a suspect, Ozioma Enoja, 31, was arrested in a follow-up operation.
Another consignment of 400 bottles of the same opioid coming from Port Harcourt, Rivers State was also seized along Abaji-Abuja highway on Saturday after which a suspect, Bala Ishaq, was arrested during a follow-up operation at Zuba motor park.
While 17 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 195.8kgs stored in a bush at Gbanke village, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo State were recovered by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, anti-narcotic officers in Ogun State intercepted two suspects: Edun Olowokou and Tunde Elijah at Alamutu roundabout area of Abeokuta with bags of same psychoactive substance weighing 279kgs.
Bukar Ali, 29, and Abacha Alhaji Fantami, 20, were apprehended by NDLEA officers in Borno State on Tuesday at Ngamdu, Kaga LGA, with 171 kg of cannabis. Meanwhile, three suspects, Jamilu Haruna, 22, Mohammed Hassan, 23, and Aminu Umar, 50, were apprehended on Wednesday at Tsafe checkpoint, Zamfara State, with 57 kg of cannabis. The suspects were traveling to Zurmi, a village known as a bandits’ enclave.
In various sections of Cross River State on Monday, at least four suspects—Ezekiel Monday Thompson, 56; Hezekiah Ime, 20; Nsikak Okon Jonah, 39; and Chidi Kalu, 44—were taken into custody in connection with 121 kg of cannabis and 5.1 grams of methamphetamine.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, congratulated the officers on their accomplishments and asked them to step up their campaign against drug cartels as the holiday season draws near.
