Abia’s most wanted drug dealer arrested

… 61-yr-old cannabis merchant caught in Taraba
… Kidnap gang leader, two robbers apprehended in Delta

MOST wanted drug supplier in Abia State, Chibuike Appollos, 38, has been arrested by undercover operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday.

  About 100kg of cocaine, cannabis and other illicit drugs were recovered from him during an early morning raid of his hideout at Mbawusi, in Isialangwa North Local Government Area.

 Following his arrest, Abia State Government marked his house that serves as his hideout for demolition

  A statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said Appollos had been on the wanted list of the Abia State Command of the anti-dope agency since February, following the arrest of one Chima Ukeleonu, the suspect behind the video that went viral in January 2021, which showed a young man hawking illicit drugs on the street.

  According to the Commander, Abia State Command of the NDLEA, Bamidele Akingbade, his men raided Appollos’ residence following a tip-off that he just received some quantities of cannabis from Edo Etate.

  “Notwithstanding the tense security situation in the South East especially Abia State, the command still embarked on the operations which culminated in the arrest of one Chibuike Apolos with ten (10) bags of cannabis weighing 100kg, 1.6 grammes of cocaine, 1 gramme of heroin and 5 grammes of methamphetamine.

The suspect is one of the major suppliers of illicit drugs in Abia State especially in the Isialangwa communities. The state governor has been notified and his building has been marked for demolition,” Akingbade said.

  In a similar development, the Taraba State Command of NDLEA has arrested one Lawan Gambo Umar, 61, for trafficking over 58kg of cannabis sativa.

  Taraba State Commander of NDLEA, Suleiman Ajadi, said “the suspect was taking the skunk concealed inside sacks of beans chaff used to feed animals to Fune in Yobe State when our men intercepted him.”

  Reacting to the two developments, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Mohammed Buba Marwa commended the two commands for their swiftness in tracking drug dealers.

   “No doubt, the volume that has been seized in these two operations is less the kilogramme meant for our towns and communities. I therefore urge our officers and men across all the commands all over the country to continue to smoke all the elements involved in this criminal trade out of their hiding places,” Marwa said.

  Similarly, Delta State Police Command, yesterday, arrested suspected leader of a six-man kidnap gang at Arhede community in Isoko North Local Government Area of the State. They also arrested two suspected armed robbers at Asaba.