NDLEA arrests fake soldier, one other with drugs, 16 walkie-talkie sets, ammunition, ATM meant for bandits

A suspected fake soldier, Hayatu Galadima, and his accomplice, Hamisu Adamu, have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) while conveying drugs, ammunition and communication equipment to bandits in Kaduna.

The duo was arrested by a patrol team of NDLEA officers along Gwagwalada expressway, Abuja on Friday and items recovered from them include 21 RLA 7.45mm ammunition concealed in a water bottle; 16 packs of new two-way radio (Walkie talkie); four army coloured head masks; wallet containing army ID card, 1USD, 2 FCMB, 1 First Bank, 1 Ecobank, 1 UBA, 1 Skye Bank ATM cards; wraps of cannabis sativa; tablets of tramadol; three MTN, two 9mobile and one Airtel sim cards packs; one iPhone 12 pro; one Samsung A31; and one Nokia phones; seven NA pass letters; five handbags and one Bagco bag containing personal belongings, as well as a gallon of palm oil.

While Hayatu Galadima claimed to be a Lance Corporal serving in Ibadan, they both said they were taking the exhibits to Kaduna and Kano.

Preliminary investigation, however, indicated that the suspects may have contacts with bandits in the North-West and were possibly moving the ammunition and the two-way radios to bandits who are presently excommunicated due to the suspension of telecommunications services in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna states.

A statement by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Agency, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has directed the FCT Command of the agency, which made the arrest to transfer the suspects to authorities of the Nigerian Army and another intelligence agency, which had earlier placed the two men on its watch list for further investigation.

In Rivers state, a final year student of Fine Arts and Design, University of Port Harcourt, Mario Okiwelu, has been arrested for importing from the US five variants of liquid cannabis weighing 49.6grams.

Babafemi said the suspect was arrested through controlled delivery along with his accomplice, Precious Awuse on September 27, 2021 around NIPOST area, Port Harcourt.

In the same vein, narcotic officers attached to some courier firms in Lagos have seized different sizes of illicit drugs including 40grams of cocaine concealed in a University of Uyo degree certificate, going to Australia; 280 grams of cannabis hidden in body cream bottles going to Cyprus; 400grams of tramadol tucked in plastic bottles heading to Australia and 1kg of Methamphetamine concealed in auto parts with Hong Kong as the destination.

Attempts by some traffickers to also import into Nigeria 20 cartons of khat weighing 126.900 kilograms through the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, were thwarted and the consignment seized. Similarly, on Wednesday, one Ibrahim Kale Sulyman was arrested during cargo search operations at SAHCO export shed with sachets of tramadol weighing 76grams concealed inside black soap heading to Dubai, UAE, recovered from him.

In Kaduna, operatives arrested a widow, Aliya Idris on September 25 in the house of a wanted drug dealer, Shamsu Boda at Joji road, Tudun Wada Zaria.

She was arrested during an operation at Shamsu Boda’s house. Found in her possession were 30 bottles of cough syrup with codeine and 20 sachets of Rohypnol with a gross weight of 4.2kg and 77.5 grams respectively.

In raids across Lagos State on Wednesday, at least two drug dealers were arrested and over 1,213.2kg of drugs seized at Ikosi, Ketu, Kosofe L.G.A.

22-year-old Peter Prosper Onome from Isoko, Delta State was arrested with 442 grams of different types of drugs including 426 grams of Cannabis Sativa; 15 grams of Colorado; 6 grams of Cocaine; 4 grams of Rohypnol and 1 gram of Methamphetamine.

In Lekki, one Justin Clement, from Michika, Adamawa State was arrested with 500 grams of Cannabis Sativa. Also on the same day, officers of the Lagos Command of the agency raided another notorious hideout in Petti, Lagos Island where they recovered an abandoned 1,213.2kg of Cannabis Sativa.

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