NDLEA intercepts Chadian Boko Haram drug supplier in Taraba, trans-border trafficker in Yobe

Joy Joseph Lagos.

Exactly a week after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), arrested a 70-year-old Nigerien, who supplies Boko Haram and bandits illicit drugs; a 35-year-old Chadian who sells narcotics to the insurgents has also been intercepted in Taraba state with assorted drugs.

Daily Times reports that the suspect, Adama Uomar Issa, was arrested on Wednesday, March 31, in Jalingo, Taraba State with 21.70Kg of Tramadol 225mg and 250mg. Also seized from him were 15.7Kg of Exol.5; 100,050 France CAF and N61, 000.

According to the Commander, Taraba state Command of the NDLEA, Suleiman Jadi, the suspect speaks only French and Arabic and claims he was taking the illicit substances to the Chad Republic before he was intercepted in Jalingo.

Jadi said investigations have shown that the suspect is a major supplier of illicit drugs to Boko Haram insurgents. “At the point of interdiction, the drugs, which he bought from Onitsha in Anambra state, were concealed inside new ladies’ handbags and shoes,” he said. 

In a related development, operatives of the anti-drug law enforcement agency have raided drug joints in Warri Street, Kaduna, where 29.5 grams of cocaine and heroin were recovered along with 456 grams of Rohypnol tablets.

Two peddlers, Suleiman Yusuf and Abubakar Abdullahi were arrested during the sting operation.

This is even as 181kg of cannabis Sativa was seized in Gaidam, Yobe state, and a suspect arrested in connection with the seizure. 

Apeh Reuben, the Yobe state Commander of the Agency disclosed that the consignment was transported from Lagos to Yobe and was moving from Yobe to Niger republic, but was intercepted at the border post in Gaidam while attempting to cross to Niger.

While commending the Taraba, Kaduna, and Yobe states Commands for their vigilance and resilience in the on-going offensive action against illicit drugs and traffickers, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged the officers and men involved in the operations and across other commands not to relax until the last drug cartel is dismantled in the country.

The NDLEA boss said: “We have made a commitment that the criminal elements will always have us to contend with in their illicit trade and that’s why we must not rest on our oars, we must continue to raise the bar in our drug supply reduction activities and drug demand reduction efforts.”