NDLEA officials
NDLEA raids
NDLEA officials
NDLEA raids forests, destroys tons of drugs in a special
operation
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has left a sour
taste in the mouth of illicit drug merchants in Ondo and Edo
States. In what appears to be an end-of-the year clean-up of drug
malfeasance in the areas, the Agency has embarked on “Operation
Thunder-strike IV,” a week-long combing of the forests in the areas
notorious for cannabis crop cultivation.
The intelligence-driven counter narcotic campaign has led to the
seizure of several tons of Cannabis already harvested and heaped
for onward movement to the illicit drug markets. Not fewer than
14.3 tons of the illicit drug crop were recovered from six camps
raided by the operatives.
Uzebba and Ihkin, two communities, Owan West LGA in Edo State,
bordering Ondo State which are notorious for the cultivation of
Cannabis were the first to receive the beam light of the
well-studded operatives. One Ohimai Ayodele, ‘M’ 51 year-old title
holder in Uzebba, a notable cannabis merchant suspected to be the
mastermind of the killing of NDLEA personnel earlier in the year
was apprehended during the operation. In an attempt to resist
arrest, his gang opened fire, injuring some of the operatives.
A reinforcement of NDLEA and Army personnel stormed Ivbiodeohen
forest in Uzebba where five different warehouses were raided with
at least two tons of cannabis destroyed. One Ojeagbese Asabiya, ‘M’
66 years was arrested in a disserted locality where several
Cannabis nursery and transplant farms were discovered and
destroyed. Eight locally fabricated guns and several rounds of
ammunition were recovered from the spots. Six locally fabricated
Cannabis compressing machines were also recovered from the
Camp.
At Uteh, near Ifon in Ondo State, the operation lasted twenty
hours as the operatives invaded and ransacked the Ajobieye forest,
Owo Local Government Area leading to the destruction by burning of
1, 225 bags of Cannabis sativa, weighing 12, 250 kilograms, while a
total of 174.5 kilograms and sample of fresh plants were brought
for prosecution purposes.
The operation was crowned with a show of force through the Akure
metropolis with visit to several black spots.
The operation came with high level strategic planning because of
the volatility and rugged terrain. The Agency pulled its resources
from the six geographical zone and got the collaboration of the
military formations within the axis. A total of 45 army personnel
joined forces with 329 officers and men of the Agency to embark on
the campaign.
The operational team was drawn from all the specialized teams of
NDLEA-(Directorate of Operations and General Investigation,
Tactical Team, Joint Task Force, Special Enforcement Team and
Combined Inter-Agency Task Force and personnel of Edo, Ondo, Osun,
Oyo and Ekiti State Commands). The Army personnel was drawn from 4
Brigade, Nigeria Army, Benin and 32 Field Artillery Brigade, Owena
Cantonment Akure.
Haruna Gagara, State Commander, NDLEA Ondo State Command who
hosted the operation was full of excitement. “The operation has
caused a serious disruption in the drug market and has checked the
likely influx of drugs during the yuletide”, he said, adding that
the impact of the operation will be felt in the illicit drug market
nationwide, because about 80 percent of Cannabis markets across the
country obtain their cannabis supply from the States touched by
this operation. He noted that the previous operation targeted the
planting and growing of the illicit crop which succeeded to nip in
the bud several hectares of Cannabis farms.
He assured that the Agency is still awaiting drug merchants on
the road to intercept cannabis shipments smuggled into the market.
“I can assure you that we will sustain current efforts”, Gagara
said.
Jonah Achema, ACN
Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs