By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 80-year-old grandpa for returning to the criminal trade.

The Octogenarian reverted to trafficking barely three years after he was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for dealing in illicit drugs.

The Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the suspect, was notorious for illicit drug business, saying, “he was first arrested by NDLEA on Dec. 14, 2022, prosecuted and sentenced to two years in jail by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

“Not ready to let go the old habit, the suspect returned to the illicit drug trade.

“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, Jan. 10, tracked the Octogenarian ex-convict to his Mmanta – Abak village, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

“This was where he was arrested with 5.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis in his residence.”

In another successful interdiction operation in Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Oron-Ibaka road in Oron LGA on Friday, Jan. 9, intercepted a 37-year-old businessman.

Babafemi said that the arrest was made while the suspect was travelling with full body mannequins for his clothing business in Cameroun.

The director said that a search of the mannequins revealed that they were stuffed with pills of tramadol weighing 5.3 kilogrammes.

He added that the suspect claimed that he resided in Cameroun and was reportedly returning to his base after the Christmas and New Year holidays when he was apprehended.

“It was revealed that he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra, and was trafficking them to Cameroun to sell, using two mannequins to conceal the opioids,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Oyo, raids across different locations led to the seizure of dangerous illicit drugs and arrest of notorious dealers, including 45-year-old suspected drug trafficker at Sasa, Ibadan.

Babafemi said that a total of 10.696 kilogrammes of Colorado, Scottish Loud, Ghana Loud, Canadian Loud and skunk, all strains of cannabis were recovered from him.

“At the time of his arrest on Thursday, Jan. 8, two vehicles: Toyota Venza and Toyota Yaris marked HG 06 LYD were also recovered from him.

“Also, at Adegbayi area of the state capital, Ibadan, NDLEA officers on Friday, Jan. 9, apprehended a suspect with various quantities of Colorado, Ghana Loud and skunk.

“Similarly, another suspected drug trafficker was nabbed at Ring Road, Ibadan with 1.264kg Colorado, Scottish Loud and skunk.

“Not less than N1.3million cash exhibit was also recovered from him at the point of his arrest on Saturday, Jan. 10,” he maintained.

In another development, a dispatch rider and two other suspects were on Friday, Jan. 9, arrested at Ihama/Airport Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo, in connection with the seizure of 118 grammes of Canadian Loud and a wrap of Colorado.

Babafemi said that while a suspected drug trafficker was arrested at Irrua with 17.552kg Colorado, Loud and skunk, another suspect was nabbed at Ubiaja with 930 grammes of skunk on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

In Niger, no fewer than 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg were recovered from a suspect at Dakwa town in Tafa LGA.

Babafemi said that another suspect was nabbed with 100 blocks of skunk weighing 47kg Lankaviri, Yorro LGA of Taraba, on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

“Similarly, not less than 30,950 capsules of tramadol were recovered from the home of a suspect in Bachure area of Yola South LGA of Adamawa, following his arrest at the Lamido Aliyu Mustapha International Airport Yola on Tuesday, Jan. 6.

“With the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

“These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Government Day Science and Technical College, Babura, Jigawa; Abu Ayubal Ansari Islamiyya School.

“Also included were Layin Indo Mai Tuwan Tara, Fagge LGA, Kano; and youths of Oshituma Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo, Ebonyi state, among others,” he said. (NAN)

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