NDLEA set to go after supermarkets, confectionaries selling drug cookies, others

Joy Joseph, Lagos

Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has warned owners and operators of supermarkets and confectionaries, to rid their stores of drug cookies, biscuits, and other products laced with illicit substances.

He gave the warning while receiving a further briefing on follow up operations from the Commander, FCT Command of the Agency, Mohammed Malami Sokoto over the arrest of a 300-level university student, Rhoda Agboje, and her boyfriend, Ifeanyi Nwankwo, both of who specialize in producing and selling drug cookies to schoolchildren, clubs, and supermarkets in Abuja.

According to the NDLEA boss, as part of preventive measures, operatives will henceforth go after supermarkets, clubs, confectionaries, and other outlets as well as their owners, selling drug cookies, biscuits, cakes, and other products laced with illicit substances under whatever guise.

“We will not shy away from hitting their production spots, supply, and sales outlets before getting into the hands of innocent schoolchildren, unsuspecting members of the public, and even our vulnerable young men and women. We won’t rest on this until we chase them out of this criminal business.

“This is why I want to seize this opportunity to warn owners and operators of supermarkets, clubs, and other sales outlets to clean their stores of these illicit substances before we get to them,” Gen. Marwa stated.

It was gathered that the Abuja drug cookies are packaged in designed paper wraps under the name “Function” with its motto as function right with every bite.

“At the back of the package is a quote the suspects attribute to God to justify their illicit trade; Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seeds, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you, it shall be for food,” he revealed.

Recall that narcotics agents with the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command of the NDLEA had last weekend uncovered a syndicate involved in producing the cookies with Arizona, a highly psychoactive variant of cannabis; alcohol, and Rohypnol among other ingredients.

Their lid was blown open following the arrest of Rhoda Agboje with four pieces of the drug cookies on Sunday, April 18. She was arrested at the NNPC Cooperative estate, opposite Gaduwa estate in Abuja based on a complaint that she gave an unsuspecting young girl the cookies to eat.

Under interrogation, the prime suspect, Rhoda confessed had said she prepares the cookies with a friend and sells each pack of three pieces at N1, 500.

A follow-up operation in her boyfriend’s house also led to the recovery of over 200 pieces of the drug cookies. The suspect also said she supplies some supermarkets and clubs in the FCT.

Meanwhile, the Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo-Yamusa III, has asked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to come to the aid of his emirate by taking over a rehabilitation centre being constructed in Keffi through community efforts.

The monarch made the plea when he paid a courtesy visit with other leaders of his emirate to the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, on Thursday at the Agency headquarters in Abuja.

While commending Gen. Marwa for his outstanding commitment to the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria, the Emir said: “We have come to plead with you to take over the rehabilitation centre we started as a first-class drug treatment facility through private efforts in Keffi. We are doing this because we know the damage drugs can do to any nation.

“With proper funding, the centre can handle the rehabilitation needs of the entire North Central and even most parts of the North. If Keffi is at peace, Abuja will be at peace but if Keffi is on fire due to the menace of drug abuse, Abuja will equally be on fire due to its proximity to the FCT.”

In his response, Gen. Marwa commended the Emir for his support to the crusade against drug abuse and assured him of NDLEA’s preparedness to work with him to rid his emirate of the drug scourge.