TheCable

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested “three blind men” for operating an illicit drug ring between Lagos and Kano. 

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, said in a statement that follow-up operations led to the arrest of Bello Abubakar, leader of the syndicate.

“NDLEA operatives have arrested three blind men operating an illicit drug ring between Lagos and Kano, while another blind member of the syndicate is still at large,” the statement reads.

“The lid was blown off the group 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 on Saturday 28th October.

“Investigations however established that he was totally oblivious of the content of the bag handed to him to deliver in Kano.

“Follow up operations then 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 and 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 agency also said it has seized 14.4 million tramadol pills and bottles of codeine worth N13 billion in Lagos.

Babafemi said the agency also arrested Nwokolo Ifeanyi Anthony, a 50-year-old man, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, who excreted 86 pellets of heroin.

The spokesperson said the 86 pellets weighed 1.330kilograms.