Drug Kingpin Arrested In Delta As NDLEA Intercepts N7.8 Billion Opioids In Rivers

By Bukar BOLORI

A drug kingpin who had invaded a manhunt for three years has been apprehended by operatives of the anti-narcotics agency.

The spokesman of the he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said: Three years after launching a manhunt for him over drug trafficking offences, a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide has been arrested by operatives of the agency in Asaba, Delta state while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilogrammes with his distribution bus.

He said Ibigide came under searchlight on 19th March 2022 in connection with the seizure of 24.137 kilogrammes of same psychoactive substance and 10 grammes of molly but thereafter went underground.

Babafemi said however, following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Delta state were able to arrest him along with one of his aides Clement Osuya, 27, while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on Sunday 10th August 2025.

In another clampdown, the spokesman 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 37,500 kilogrammes skunk was destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland.

He disclosed that those arrested include: Ugwuanyi Chinaso, 23; James Negedu, 26; Sopuruchukwu Obido, 22; Ebuka Onu, 30; Ukwueze Sunday, 42; and Oguche Friday; while 74.5 kilogrammes of the illicit substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects.

Babafemi said 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, two other suspects: Nsubechukwu Achidde, 24, and Osiaja Simple Frank, 41, were arrested with 27.6 kilogrammes skunk same day at the new market, Enugu.

In Lagos state, a 52-year-old woman Muyibat Mumuni was arrested with her son Faruk Mumuni, 25, by NDLEA operatives at Ladega street, Mushin last Wednesday for storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149 kilogrammes while another suspect Emmanuel Samuel was nabbed last Friday in Ajah area of Lekki where 8.5 kilogrammes Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis was recovered from their apartment.

He revealed that not less than 128,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from a suspect Sani Mohammed, 32, who was arrested by NDLEA officers at Jauro Jatau, Gombe, Gombe state last Monday, 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 while a total of 11,250 kilogrammes skunk was destroyed on 4.5 hectares of farmland last Tuesday when NDLEA operatives assisted by Sardauna Emirate Council and the Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service raided the Tanmiya forest in Sardauna local government area, Taraba state, 29,840 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect Saleh Babangida, 20, at a check point in Wukari area of the state on Saturday.

In Kaduna state, 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 area of the state. Two other suspects: Caroline David, 51, and Abdulhadi Umar, 30, were nabbed over the seizure of 111.1 kilogrammes skunk intercepted along Zaria- Kano road.

He said 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 3.5 million pills of trodol benzhexol valued at N1.7 billion were recovered from five containers under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list during joint examination with Customs Service and other security agencies last Wednesday and Thursday at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) of the Onne port.

In Edo state, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432 kilogrammes in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West local government area, while 130 kilogrammes of same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West local government are the following day.

Babafemi said a suspect Tahiru Manga, 25, was nabbed by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano road, with 16 kilogrammes skunk and another suspect Ibrahim Audu, 47, arrested with 76 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state last Wednesday.

He also said no fewer than 4,320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Lagos highway last Monday with a suspect Akeem Adegun arrested.

Babafemi said in like manner, command and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Delta, Taraba, and Seme commands for the arrests, and seizures,, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.