70-year-old woman arrested for drug trafficking in Edo

• NDLEA intercepts 12,385kg drugs smuggled via Lagos waterways

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says it at the weekend seized 12,385kg of Loud Cannabis, a strong variant of the illicit weed, imported from a neighbouring country and smuggled into Lagos through the waterways.

It also said on Sunday that a 70-year-old woman, Mrs Beatrice Aigbedion, was among suspects arrested in parts of Edo in connection with the seizure of over 5,000kg of assorted illicit drugs across the state.

According to a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, after days of surveillance, NDLEA operatives on November 24 stormed a warehouse at Uhiere, Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state, where they recovered a total of 4,261.5kg of cannabis sativa and a suspect, Ikong Stanley, arrested.

“The previous day Tuesday 23rd November, 1,240kg was equally seized at a warehouse in Uzebba, Owan West LGA of the state.

‘At the point of her arrest in Irrua last Wednesday, 70-year-old Mrs Aigbedion was caught with different quantities of Codeine cough syrup, Swinol and Rohypnol while another dealer, Joseph Onyemaechi, 50, was also nabbed at Ikpoba Okha, Upper Sakponba – Benin City, on Friday with different types of psychotropic substances weighing 2.055kg. Similarly, Gabriel Akioya and Isa Salihu were arrested on Thursday 25th Nov at Irrua, Esan Central LGA with various quantities of Codeine, Tramadol, Swinol and Rohypnol.”

It added that the operatives in Delta State raided Hampton Towers and Spa Hotel, Okpanam road, Asaba where Dobedient Etumudor and Thompson Chukwuemeka were arrested with different quantities of psychoactive substances, while another dealer, Emeka Ben was nabbed with 4.7 grams of Methamphetamine along Asaba – Ibusa road.

In Kano, a drug dealer, Alhaji Bukar Malan Abdu, was reportedly arrested and 143kg of cannabis recovered from him while 466kg of same drug was seized in the home of one Bashir Shuaibu, an indigene of Edo State but resident in Kano, who deals in Cannabis sativa.

On Thursday 25th Nov, a drug dealer in Maiduguri, Borno State, Chima Obi was arrested in a follow up operation following the seizure of his drug consignment, 73.2kg codeine, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Postiskum, Yobe state same day, it stated.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) commended the officers and men involved in the operations.