The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a wanted drug baron, Sami Ashoko with 100bags of drugs weighing 1,095.3 kilogrammes in Nasarawa State.
State Commander, NDLEA, Mr Justice Arinze, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja by the agency’s Director Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi.
Arinze said it was, indeed, a bleak Easter for the most wanted drug baron in Nasarawa State, adding that he spent the festive season in custody.
Arinze said Ashoko, 39, who hailed from Ibilo in Akoko Edo area of Edo State, was arrested in Shinge, Lafia, based on actionable intelligence.
He noted that a team of operatives had stormed his warehouse in Lafia and recovered 100 bags of cannabis weighing about 1.1 tons or 1095.3 kg.
According to him, Ashoko is the most wanted drug baron who has been on our watch list in Nasarawa State.
“This seizure has beaten the previous record of 45 bags weighing about half ton recovered in January 2021 as the highest singular seizure of cannabis since the inception of the Command in 1999.
“The seized consignment was meant for Easter sales, and which he expects to sell out in two weeks,” he said.
In another development, the Commander, NDLEA, Edo state Command, Mr Buba Wakawa, said members of another cartel were arrested in Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government area of Edo state.
Wakawa said their illicit consignment weighing 1,330kg meant for Bauchi state was equally seized.
He added that both syndicates were busted on Friday, April 2 while trying to distribute their illegal substances for the Easter sales.
“Two members of another drug cartel, Adamu Badamasi and Adamu Abba were also arrested same day in Edo state.
“They were trying to move 950 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 1,330kg, procured from Uzeba, Owan West Local Government area of the state to Bauchi state for Easter sales,” said Wakawa.
He explained that the arrest and seizure disrupted the Easter sales plan of the cartel, which tried to escape arrest through hinterland routes in their white colour Peugeot J5 space bus with registration number Lagos JJJ 722 XC.
In the same vein, the Commander, NDLEA, FCT Command, Mr Mohammed Sokoto, said the FCT operatives arrested another trafficker who supplied drugs to some notorious drug joints in Abuja.
Sokoto said the suspect was arrested along Gwagwalada expressway, FCT while bringing 46 compressed blocks of cannabis for drug dealers in Mabushi and Banex areas of the capital city.
He said the notorious drug supplier had confessed to being a major supplier of illicit substances to major drug joints in Abuja.
The Chairman, NDLEA, retired, Brig.Gen. Buba Marwa, in his reaction to the Easter operations, commended officers and men of Nasarawa, Edo and FCT Commands of the agency for their efforts.
Marwa added that the drugs seized was certainly less illicit substances available on the streets. (NAN).
