The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in a joint operation with the Nigerian Army, has arrested five suspected drug dealers during intelligence-led raids across Benin City, Edo State.
The Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday, confirming that the arrests were part of coordinated efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within the state capital.
Patent Medicine Vendor, Supermarket Owner Among Suspects
According to Ofoyeju, those arrested include:
Akam Theophilus (46) – patent medicine vendor
Ashitor Godfrey (25) – supermarket owner
Asemota Endurance (23)
Franklin Kijie (25)
Smart Ekhaitor (39)
The suspects were apprehended at strategic locations in Benin City, including:
A patent medicine shop near the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport barracks
A supermarket opposite Ekenwan Barracks
The Obagie area off Sapele Road
NDLEA Seizes Tramadol, Cannabis, Methamphetamine
During the coordinated raids on identified drug hotspots, security operatives recovered significant quantities of illicit substances, including:
11,297 capsules of tramadol
400 tablets of diazepam
108 tablets of Swinol
22 tablets of Danabol (popularly known as “Molly”)
3.685kg of cannabis
181 grammes of Loud
7 grammes of methamphetamine
10 bottles of codeine cough syrup
The NDLEA described the seizure as a major breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking in Edo State.
NDLEA Vows to Rid Edo of Drug Criminals
Ofoyeju stated that the operation aligns with the directive of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), to intensify efforts against drug-related crimes.
“I have been mandated by the Chairman to take drug criminals out of Edo State. Drugs are a catalyst for crime,” Ofoyeju said.
He warned that individuals using legitimate businesses such as patent medicine shops and supermarkets as cover for drug peddling would face the full weight of the law.
“Anyone hiding under the canopy of a patent medicine shop or a supermarket to peddle tramadol, Swinol, diazepam, codeine cough syrup and cannabis will not go unpunished,” he added.
Nigerian Army Reaffirms Support for NDLEA
The Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, Major General M. Hassan, alongside the Commander of the Nigerian Army 4 Brigade, Brigadier General A.O. Balogun, reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to supporting the NDLEA’s anti-drug operations.
They emphasized that drug traffickers would find no safe haven, particularly around military formations and barracks.
The latest arrests send a strong warning to drug dealers operating in Edo State that security agencies are intensifying surveillance and enforcement efforts to curb illicit drug distribution in the region.
