75-year-old ‘owner’ of Indian hemp plantation arrested by NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 75-year-old man for being in possession of “tons of illicit drugs” at Anguwan Sate, Mayo Belwa council area of Adamawa.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s director for media and advocacy, said this on Sunday while giving a briefing on the agency’s operations across the country.

The 75-year-old identified as Usman Bahama alias Clement was discovered to have an Indian hemp plantation from “where 49kg of the illicit substance was recovered,” resulting in his arrest on September 20.

Babafemi said the agency also seized 1.01 million bottles and capsules of tramadol and “Akuskura,” a recently banned psychoactive drug.

Additionally, more than 10 hectares of Akuskura farms were razed in Edo and Adamawa, and 2,536kg of Indian hemp were seized.

Speaking further, the agency’s media and advocacy director said two suspects, Oladokun Oluwaseun, 49, and Ibrahim Jimoh, 27, were arrested in connection with the interception of at least 19,878 bottles of Akuskura on the Ilorin-Jebba Highway in Kwara on September 21.

According to Babafemi, the suspects said the cargo, which was contained in 35 giant sacks, had been loaded in Ibadan and was intended for distribution in Jos.

“Earlier, two suspects, Ukoro Ifeanyi, 46, and Idowu Toyosi, 20, were arrested with 2,290 capsules of tramadol and 100 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Mararaba Park, Ilorin,” he added.

“The drugs were brought in from Onitsha, Anambra.’’

The NDLEA also said three suspects, Abdulazeez Rasheed, Afeez Raheem and Moshood Suleiman, were arrested in connection with a Volvo truck loaded with 2,146kg of Indian hemp at the Sangotedo Area of Ajah in Lagos.

“At least, 979,119 capsules of expired `Pregabalin’ weighing 733kg were recovered from one Musbahu Ya’u, 28, and five others at Dansarai Area of Kano,” Babafemi said.

“In Enugu, 197.8kg of Indian hemp was recovered from a store at New Market, on Tuesday, September 20.”

He also said 117.7kg of psychoactive substances were intercepted on the Okene-Abuja expressway in a truck travelling from Lagos to Abuja.

‘MARWA IS DOING WELL’

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari commended Buba Marwa, the NDLEA chairman, over the agency’s string of “impressive” activities.

The president spoke in reaction to the “biggest single cocaine seizure” in NDLEA history.

The bust came less than 24 hours after the agency arrested one Onyeka Madukolu for alleged possession of cocaine hidden inside cans of deodorant and tubes of lip gloss.

Expressing satisfaction with the agency’s work, the president said Marwa had demonstrated his commitment to fighting the “wicked merchants of death”.

“I deeply appreciate the work that you have put into the eradication of the drug menace. It gladdens my heart as I continue to follow the successes achieved under your leadership,” Buhari was quoted as saying.

“Please keep up the good work.”