The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said three years after launching a manhunt for a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide, over drug trafficking offences, the suspect has been arrested by operatives in Asaba, Delta State.
Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement, said he was arrested while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilogrammes with his distribution bus.
Babafemi said Ibigide came under searchlight on March 19, 2022 in connection with the seizure of 24.137kg of same psychoactive substance and 10grams of molly but, thereafter, went underground.
However, NDLEA operatives in Delta arrested him along with one of his aides Clement Osuya, 27, while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on August 10.
The agency also said no fewer than six suspects were arrested last Thursday and Friday when NDLEA operatives, supported by the military and vigilantes, raided three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State where a total of 37,500kg skunk was destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland.
Ugwuanyi Chinaso, 23; James Negedu, 26; Sopuruchukwu Obido, 22; Ebuka Onu, 30; Ukwueze Sunday, 42; and Oguche Friday; while 74.5kg of the illicit substance was recovered for them.
The statement reads: “While 20,700 pills of tramadol and cocodamol were seized from a suspect Emmanuel Ayogu, 53, by NDLEA officers on patrol along Nsukka Road, 9th Mile Enugu on Saturday, 16th August, two other suspects Nsubechukwu Achidde, 24, and Osiaja Simple Frank, 41, were arrested with 27.6kg skunk same day at the New Market, Enugu.
“In Lagos, a woman Muyibat Mumuni, 52, was arrested with her son, Faruk Mumuni, 25, at Ladega Street, Mushin on August 13 for storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149kg while another suspect Emmanuel Samuel was nabbed on August 15 in Ajah, Lekki where 8.5kg Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis was recovered from their apartment.
“Not less than 128,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from a suspect Sani Mohammed,32, at Jauro Jatau, Gombe, Gombe State on August 11, while a total of 337, 800 capsules of the same pharmaceutical opioid were seized by operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi State from the driver of a commercial bus, Sulaiman Oyedokun, 47, coming from Onitsha, Anambra State and heading to Kotangora, Niger State.”
Babafemi said a total of 11, 250kg skunk was destroyed on 4.5 hectares of farmland on Tuesday 12th August when NDLEA operatives assisted by Sardauna Emirate Council and Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service raided the Tanmiya forest in Sardauna Local Government Area, Taraba State.
He said 29, 840 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect Saleh Babangida, 20, at a checkpoint in the Wukari area of the state last Saturday.
He said: “In Kaduna, two suspects, Mohammed Amdife, 46, and Sulaiman Mohammed, 22, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 22, 640 pills of tramadol and rohypnol at Gwargwaje check point, Zaria and Tudun Wada.
“Two other suspects: Caroline David, 51, and Abdulhadi Umar, 30, were nabbed over the seizure of 111.1kg skunk intercepted along Zaria-Kano Road.
“At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state, a total of 875,000 bottles of codeine based syrup worth over N6.1billion in street value and 3, 500,000 pills of trodol benzhexol valued at N1.7billion were recovered from five containers under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list during joint examination with Customs Service and other security agencies on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th August at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) of the Onne port.
“In Edo, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 13th August recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432kg in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West LGA, while 130kg of same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA the following day.
“A suspect Tahiru Madu Manga, 25, was nabbed by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano road, with 16kg skunk and another suspect Ibrahim Audu, 47, arrested with 76kg of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state on Wednesday 13th August.
“No fewer than 4, 320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint on Badagry-Lagos highway on August 11, with a suspect Akeem Adegun arrested”
The agency’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the officers for their gallantry efforts. He enjoined them and their colleagues to continue with their good works.