Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided a snake-guarded shrine reportedly used to store illicit drugs in Igor community of Edo.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the operatives had detected a specially constructed large hole in a wall covered with wallpapers and fetish objects.

Babafemi said different quantities of illicit substances such as methamphetamine, loud, colorado and arizona, with a total weight of 8.743kg, were pulled from the deep hole.

“At least, two ladies: Sonia Chinonso Ezumezu and Risikatu Tijani were arrested during the intelligence-led operation on Tuesday 18th June 2024 after the big black snake guarding the shrine was demobilized,” the statement reads.

The spokesperson said NDLEA operatives also raided the Usen forest in Ovia south-west LGA, Edo state on June 22 where 209kg cannabis and a motorcycle were recovered.

Two suspects, Obi Ferguson and Ernest Abanum, were arrested.

“Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Lagos have intercepted a carefully packaged consignment of 8.2 kilograms of methamphetamine at a motor park in Mazamaza, Ojo area of the state,” the statement reads.

“The highly addictive illicit substance, also called ice or crystal meth, was packed in imported Dunkin’ turtle love chocolate wraps and then concealed in the casing of three loud speakers.

“A 39-year-old suspect, Michael Odiomume who was sending the consignment to Owerri, Imo state was promptly arrested on Wednesday 19th June at the park.

“In Abuja, operatives on Tuesday 18th June intercepted a white Nissan Frontier pick up vehicle with amber lights and fake registration number of a security agency at Kiyi village in Kuje area of the FCT.

“The vehicle was loaded with 454 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 340.8kg procured at Uzeba, Edo state.

“A 76-year-old grandfather, Mr. Francis Omofa, linked to the consignment was arrested. He claimed to have been in the illicit drug business for 10 years.”

The sacrificial ram belonging to Chief Imam Abdulkadir of the Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State, has been stolen.

The theft occurred during a heavy rainstorm on the night before Eid-el-Kabir.

Malam Haruna Yaqub, another Imam in the community, revealed this incident during his sermon following the two Raka’at prayers. He criticised the act, calling it insensitive.

“The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely bought to sacrifice, has stolen in the night. We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story. This means that people are not God-fearing. It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity,” Yaqub said, according to Daily Trust.

Residents of the community also expressed their disappointment and called for heightened vigilance and security to prevent such incidents.

Meanwhile, the Chief Iman appealed to people to be God-fearing as he revealed the gravity of the act.

He urged them never to engage in stealing or any act of criminality, emphasising that everyone would be held accountable for their actions in the hereafter.

He said, “It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments.”

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have raided a warehouse containing a large consignment of codeine-based syrup.

The anti-drug agency said the warehouse was discovered in the Kirikiri area of Lagos state.

In a statement released on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said four suspects were arrested in connection with the warehouse.

“NDLEA operatives in Lagos state have uncovered an expansive warehouse stocked with a large consignment of codeine-based syrup, located at Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri, where four persons connected with the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested during an intelligence-led raid on the facility,” Babafemi said.

“Those arrested include: Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke, 38; Emeka Emmanuel, 48; Bonaventure Ugochukwu, 59; and Martin Dike, 56, while a total of 82,000 bottles of the opioid worth more than N600 million in street value, Toyota Tacuma truck and two buses used for distributing the substance were recovered from the premises on Monday 10th June 2024 when NDLEA officers conducted the operation.”

The NDLEA also arrested another suspect — Ibrahim Abdulhamid — with 29,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 3.9 litres of codeine syrup in the Alaba area of Ojo LGA, Lagos.

OTHER ARRESTS

In Abia state, NDLEA operatives raided an alleged drug cartel and arrested two suspects — Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi and Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi — for allegedly running the cartel.

The suspects were nabbed after NDLEA operatives raided their hideout in Abia and seized “methamphetamine consignments worth over N4.1 billion in street value”.

In Ekiti state, the NDLEA operatives destroyed 7.37 hectares of farmland used for planting psychoactive substances.

In Edo state, hectares of farmland used for planting cannabis were destroyed in Uhen forest, Ovia north-east LGA.

The NDLEA operatives also arrested one Emmanuel Ogechi with 11,200 pills of tramadol along Otukpo-Enugu road in Benue state.

Two suspects — Muhammad Abba and Samson Ehizogie — were also arrested with 3,550 bottles of ‘Akuskura’ a new mixture of psychotropic substances.