A 40-foot trailer loaded with 2, 217.6 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis has been seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the Kagini area of Kubwa, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The trailer was seized at about 1:20am on Saturday January 11, 2025.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement on Sunday, noted that a 42-year-old suspect identified as Isaac Desmond was arrested at the scene.
The drugs, which were being offloaded into six vehicles at an abandoned fuel station for distribution to northern states, were intercepted following an intelligence-led operation, according to the statement.
Babafemi affirmed that preliminary investigations revealed that the consignment originated from Uzebba in Owan Local Government Area of Edo State, adding that the vehicles seized include a Toyota van, Toyota Camry, Toyota Sienna bus, JAC 4-wheel-drive Hilux truck, Toyota Corolla, and a Vento Passat car.
The statement reads in part; “A 40ft trailer load of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 2, 217.6 kilograms has been intercepted by operatives of the NDLEA, while being distributed into six vehicles at an abandoned fuel station in Kagini, Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja for onward distribution to some northern states.
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“The intelligence-led operation, which took place at 1:20am on Saturday, 11th January 2025 led to the seizure of not only the large illicit consignment but also the trailer and the six vehicles as well as the arrest of a suspect, 42-year-old Isaac Monday Desmond. The consignment was loaded into the trailer at Uzebba in Owan Local Government Area of Edo State.
“In another raid in the FCT, two suspects, Anthony Nnamdi (42) and Abba Ali (27) were arrested by NDLEA officers at Nyanya, where a combined 1.398kg cocaine and a precursor substance used in preparing crack cocaine were recovered from them.
“Similarly, the traditional chief priest of the Igunuko shrine, Alpha beach, Ajah Lekki where 2, 760kg skunk was recovered on 25th October, 2024, Bariu Aliu (alias Malo) has been arrested by NDLEA operatives after over three months of a manhunt for him.
“Though two of his accomplices were earlier arrested at the shrine last year and had since been charged and convicted in court, Bariu was said to be the leader of the syndicate.”
