TheCable

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested one Lami Mai Rigima, who was described as a “drug cartel queen” and supplier of psychoactive substances to traffickers in Taraba.

The NDLEA said Lami has been on its wanted list since 2021 when some arrested drug traffickers accused her of supplying illicit drugs to them.

Femi Babafemi, the agency spokesperson, said Lami was arrested after operatives traced her to her hideout in Iware village in Ardo Kola LGA, Taraba.

The NDLEA also said it has arrested one Emeka Okiru, an alleged cross-border drug trafficker, with 32,700 tablets of tramadol 225mg in Adamawa.

According to the NDLEA, Okiru concealed the tramadol in cartons of paintbrush and was arrested while preparing to supply his customer who came from Cameroon.

“The 40-year-old queen of the drug world came under the anti-narcotic agency’s searchlight when a number of traffickers arrested in the state in 2021 and early this year fingered her as their supplier,” the statement released on Wednesday reads.

“The manhunt for Lami paid off on Monday 4th April when operatives tracked her to her hideout in Iware village in Ardo Kola local government area of Taraba.

“The search for Lami began in October 2021 following the arrest, prosecution and conviction of a drug dealer, Abdullahi Madaki, 50.

“After serving his brief jail sentence, Madaki returned to the illicit trade with Lami still as his supplier. He was however rearrested on 13th February 2022 while another trafficker, Jamilu Hassan, 20, who is also a member of Lamis supply chain, was nabbed on 24th Feb.

“In Adamawa, operatives arrested a cross border drug trafficker, Emeka Okiru, 40, with 32,700 tablets of Tramadol 225mg under the brand name: Royal and Tramaking.

“He was arrested at Garden city, Mubi, Mubi North LGA on Tuesday 5th April while preparing to supply his customers who came from the Republic of Cameroon. The drugs were found concealed in cartons of paintbrush.

“In Oyo state, different quantities of Cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis were recovered from four suspects: Adetola Tosin; Akeem Kazeem; Korede Ahmed, and Abdulgafar Nureni who were arrested in Omi-Adio, Ido LGA; Oje area of Ibadan North LGA; Iwo Road, Ibadan North East LGA, and Sabo, Mokola, Ibadan North West LGA, when operatives raided parts of the state on Tuesday 5th April.

“At least, 172 kilograms of cannabis was recovered from two suspects: Zaidu Mohammed Kamba and Hussaini Dauda in Kamba area of Kebbi state on Monday 4th April by NDLEA operatives.”