The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a drug kingpin Sunday Ibigide who has been on the run for three years even as it intercepted N7.8bn worth of opioids and recovered 538,980 pills.
The Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday disclosed that Ibigide was arrested while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilograms with his distribution bus.
He said that the suspect came under searchlight on March 19, 2022, in connection with the seizure of 24.137kg of the same psychoactive substance and 10grams of molly but thereafter went underground.
“However, following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Delta state were able to arrest him along with one of his aides.
“They were arrested while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on Sunday, August 10, 2025,” said Babafemi.
He said six suspects were arrested on Thursday, Aug. 14 and Friday, Aug. 15 when NDLEA operatives supported by the military and vigilantes raided three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu state and recovered 37,500kg skunk was destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland during the operation.
In another development, 20,700 pills of tramadol and co-codamol were seized from a suspect by NDLEA officers on patrol along Nsukka road, 9th mile Enugu on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Also Read: NDLEA raids Kano drug dens, arrests Fourty-nine suspects
Babafemi said that two other suspects were arrested with 27.6kg skunk the same day at the new market, Enugu.
Also, In Lagos, a 52-year-old woman was arrested with her son, 25, by NDLEA operatives at Ladega street, Mushin on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
Babafemi said that they were arrested for storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149kg.
He said that another suspect was seized on Friday, Aug.15 in Ajah area of Lekki where 8.5kg Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis, was recovered from his apartment
At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state operatives intercepted N7.8bn worth of opioids, 875,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 3, 500,000 pills of trodol benzhexol were recovered from five containers.
“This is worth over N6.1billion and N1.7billion in street value. The containers were under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list.
“Arrest was made during joint examination with Customs Service and other security agencies on Wednesday Aug. 13 and Thursday, August 14 at the West Africa Container Terminal of the Onne port, “he said.
In Edo States, operatives on Wednesday, Aug. 13 recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432kg in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West LGA.
Babafemi said that 130kg of the same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA the following day. His words: “A suspect Tahiru Madu Manga, 25, was seized by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano Road, with 16kg skunk.
“Another suspect Ibrahim Audu, 47, was arrested with 76kg of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano Road, Kano state on Wednesday, Aug. 13.”
Babafemi said that operatives of the agency on Aug. 11, recovered 128,000 capsules of tramadol from a suspect, Sani Mohammed,32, at Jauro Jatau area of Gombe metropolis.
Also, a total of 337,800 capsules of the same pharmaceutical opioid were seized by operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi State.
He said the drugs were seized from the driver of a commercial bus, Sulaiman Oyedokun, 47, coming from Onitsha, heading to Kotangora in Niger.
“29,840 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect, Saleh Babangida, 20, at a check point in Wukari area of the state on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Also, in Kaduna, two suspects: Mohammed Amdife, 46, and Sulaiman Mohammed, 22, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 22,640 pills of tramadol and rohypnol at Gwargwaje check point, Zaria and Tudun Wada area of Zaria metropolis.
Similarly, two other suspects: Caroline David, 51, and Abdulhadi Umar, 30, were seized over the seizure of 111.1kg skunk intercepted along Zaria – Kano Road.
In another development, Babafemi said that a total of 11, 250kg of skunk was destroyed on 4.5 hectares of farmland on Tuesday, Aug. 12, during a raid in Taraba.
He said NDLEA operatives assisted by Sardauna Emirate Council and the Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service raided the Tanmiya forest in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of Gombe, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano and Taraba for the feat achieved.
Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing efforts to end drug abuse and trafficking. (NAN)
