In a series of major interdiction operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended 24 suspected drug traffickers and dealers across eight states, seizing over 7,609 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs.

Lifestyle Nigeria reports that in a statement by the anti-narcotics agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, among those arrested were a 42-year-old man attempting to deliver opioid pills to insurgents in Banki, Borno state, a six-month pregnant woman, a mother of three children, and three other women involved in drug trafficking activities.

In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives on Sunday 4th February intercepted a truck marked Lagos JJJ 64 YC, carrying 367 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 4,037 kilogrammes from Akure, Ondo state to be delivered at Shabu area of Lafia, the state capital.

Three suspects: Shuaibu Yahaya Liman, 35; Monday Audu, 33, and Linus Samuel, 42 were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Similarly, in Abuja, Jibrin Shuaibu, 23, and Prosper Innih, 17, were arrested with 169 bags and 80 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 1,961.5 kilograms were concealed in a truck with registration number Ogun WDE 557 XC intercepted along the Abaji – Abuja highway. The truck was intercepted during a stop and search operation along Abaji – Abuja highway on their way from Uzeba to Dei-Dei, FCT.

Further operations in Abuja led to the arrest of Abdulhameed Dauda, 27, was arrested with 89 kilogrammes of psychoactive substances loaded into his truck in Owo, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada in FCT.

The spokesman said in another operation by On the same day, operatives also intercepted another driver, Hassan Ade, 30, transporting 696.5 kilogrammes of the same substance loaded in Idoani, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada and Dei-Dei in FCT. He revealed that a follow up operation led to the arrest of a mother of three children, Mrs. Joy Chukwuka, 42, linked with the consignment.

Another operation in Ondo state, NDLEA operatives seized 633.5 kilograms of cannabis at Eleyere, Ogbese in Akure North local government area and recovered 59 jumbo bags of the same substance concealed in a truck marked GAD 287 XAheading to the Northern part of the country. He noted that detergents were sprayed on the cannabis bags ostensibly to suppress the odour of the psychoactive weed, while 192 packs of table water were loaded on top to conceal the illicit consignment.