By Akeem Oduyoye
Operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), have recovered no less than 14,481,519 pills of Tramadol and bottles of codeine syrup worth over N13 billion in three significant busts of drug cartels operating in Amuwo Odofin, Idumota and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
NDLEA stated that the three intelligence-led operations began with the raid of House 8/10 Hon. Wahuha Avenue, Divine Estate, Ago Palace area of Amuwo Odofin on Sunday, 29th October, where 490,000 pills of tramadol and 81,519 bottles of codeine syrup measuring 4,510,000mls were recovered.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi made this disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to Babafemi, the agency, in a similar operation on Tuesday 31st October, swooped on a secret warehouse operated by a billionaire Idumota trader, Nwaoha Anayo, located at Onitire, Aguda area of Surulere where 12,700,000 pills of tramadol were recovered.
According to the statement, no fewer than six members of a syndicate using their official cover to facilitate the smuggling of illicit drugs through the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) warehouse at the Lagos airport into the country have also been arrested and 1,210,000 pills of tramadol seized from them in a painstaking operation that lasted for weeks.
The spokesman said the six suspects already in NDLEA custody include Oladele Sanya-Olu, Lawal Itunu Temitope, Sanamo Alla Daniel, Udeh Felix Monday, Musa Mutalib and Unege Evans Icibor, while three other suspects, Sarki Mubarak Salami; Abdullahi Aliyu (aka Aboki); and Monday Anwal, are now on the run and wanted by NDLEA.