NDLEA Benue Command has arrested two women, Chioma Afam, 36, and Peace Chidinma Caleb, 22, for allegedly trafficking 296,000 tablets of illicit drugs.
This was made known by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Babafemi said that the duo used multiple identities and wore hijab to evade security scrutiny.
He said the women were arrested in Benue, while trying to smuggle a total of 296,000 tablets of Diazepam and Exol-5 from Onitsha in Anambra to Gombe State.
According to him, Afam, who used multiple names, including Amina, Uzoamaka and Ifunanya, to cover her criminal activities was arrested on July 17 along with Caleb.
The NDLEA spokesman said that the vehicle the ladies were travelling in from Onitsha was intercepted along the Makurdi- Aliade road while heading to Gombe State through Makurdi.
“A search of their vehicle led to the discovery of 43 kilograms of Diazepam and 33 kilograms of Exol-5, both weighing 76 kilograms with a total of 296,000 tablets packed in four large ‘Ghana must go’ bags.
“Curiously, the two inter-state drug traffickers have rebuffed efforts to take pictures with the exhibits without wearing their hijab.”
“Meanwhile, the Ondo State Command of the agency on July 18, intercepted one Olu Ameh, a commercial motorcycle rider with 465 kilograms of cannabis sativa along Ijagba-Ute road in the Ose Local Government Area of the state.’’
Babafemi said that the illicit substance was said to have been bought from one Joseph in Ago-Akure in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state while being conveyed to the buyer, one Egbonwon at Ijagba village in Ose Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the Chairman of the NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, had commended operatives of the Benue and Ondo States Commands of the agency for their efforts.
“For us in NDLEA, a kilogram of illicit drug seized by our gallant and courageous officers across the country is a kilogram less what is available on the streets and in our communities.
“That is why we will continue to encourage all our officers and men to continue to give their best in our pursuit of the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari,’’ Marwa was quoted as saying.
