The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have conducted a raid on a shrine protected by snakes in the Igor community, Benin City, Edo State. The shrine was used to store illicit drugs, following credible intelligence.
The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, revealed this information in a statement shared on X on Sunday.
He mentioned that during the operation, NDLEA agents “detected a specially constructed large hole storage in a wall covered with wallpapers and fetish objects.”
Babafemi said, “Different quantities of illicit substances such as methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743 kilograms, were pulled out from the deep hole dug in the wall of the shrine building.
“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.
“In the same vein, two suspects: Obi Ferguson,45, and Ernest Abanum, 46, were arrested on Saturday 22nd June when NDLEA operatives raided the Usen forest in Ovia South West LGA, Edo state where 209kg cannabis and a motorcycle were recovered.
“Similarly, NDLEA officers in Lagos, intercepted a carefully packaged consignment of 8.2 kilograms of methamphetamine at a motor park in Mazamaza, Ojo area of the state.
“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.
“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
“These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and teachers of St. Peters College, Nibo, Anambra; students and staff of Apostolic Grammar School, Ilesa, Osun state; students and teachers of Immanuel Baptist High School, Oyo town, Oyo state; students and staff of Federal Government Science and Technical College, Otukpa, Benue state.
“Others were WADA advocacy lecture for Muslim faithful during their juma’at prayer in Umuahia, Abia state and a WADA advocacy visit to the First Lady of Enugu state, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah by the state Command of NDLEA.”
Cmmending the officers and men of the Edo, Lagos, and FCT Commands, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), highlighted the balance in their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, along with those of their counterparts across the country.
He urged them to sustain the ongoing offensive against drug cartels and to continue intensifying their war against drug abuse social advocacy campaign.
