Precious Oham
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested three blind men running drug syndicate between Lagos and Kano states.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said this in a press release detailing the activities of the anti-narcotics agency in the past one week.
According to him, the lid was blown off the group of blind drug ring following the arrest of a blind suspect, Adamu Hassan (40), along Gwagwalada Expressway Abuja with 12kgs of skunk on his way from Lagos to Kano, last Saturday.
He said: “Investigations however established that he was totally oblivious of the content of the bag handed to him to deliver in Kano.
“Follow up operations led to the arrest of the arrowhead of the syndicate, Bello Abubakar (45), who is also blind.
“In his statement, Bello who is married with five children said he has been living in Lagos for 30 years but started the illicit drug business five years ago.
“Another suspect, Muktar Abubakar (59) who is equally blind, has been living in Lagos for 40 years and married to three wives with 14 children.
“Both Muktar Abubakar and Bello Abubakar are joint owners of the business, while the third suspect, Akilu Amadu (25), also blind, equally contributes money to the criminal trade.
“Akilu was indeed the one who delivered the consignment to Adamu at the motor park in Lagos to deliver in Kano.
“Another blind suspect who is the expected receiver of the consignment in Kano, Mallam Aminu, is currently at large.”
The 14, 481, 519 pills of opioids were recovered in three major busts of drug cartels operating in Amuwo Odofin, Idumota and the SAHCO Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
As stated in the release, the three intelligence-led operations began with the raid of House 8/10 Hon. Wahuha Avenue, Divine Estate, Ago Palace area of Amuwo Odofin last Sunday.
Also, 490,000 pills of tramadol and 81,519 bottles of codeine syrup measuring 4, 510, 000mls were recovered during the raid.
