By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested four members of a drug syndicate, including two church officials, a female staff of a courier company and another lady involved in trafficking the lethal opioid, fentanyl, in Delta state.
Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70 per cent of overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.
The bust of the fentanyl cartel operating from Warri, Delta state, is coming barely a month after two members of another syndicate: Mr Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Mr Oliver Chigozie Uzoma, were arrested at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra State following months of intelligence-led investigation of the syndicates behind the dangerous drug.
Two officials of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries (aka Mercy City Church), Warri, Delta state: Mr Adewale Abayomi Ayeni, 39, and Mr Ebipakebina Appeal, 41, linked to two intercepted consignments of the illicit drug have been arrested in Warri.
While Mr Ayeni is one of those managing the prayer call centre of the church, Mr Ebipakebina is in charge of the movement of international guests from the airport to the church.
Two female accomplices also arrested in Warri in the course of investigating the intercepted shipments include Miss Naomi David, 28, who is a staff of United Parcel Services (UPS), and Miss Stacy Njideka, also known as Nkiruka, 27, who is a business associate of Mr Ayeni.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Agency on Wednesday, July 5, intercepted a Toyota Hilux vehicle marked EPE 863 XD along Ngurore-Mayo Belwa road, Adamawa State. A search of the van with two occupants: Mr Kelvin Efe, 51, and Mr Christian Ogaga, 42, showed that 118 cartoons of Indomie Noodles packs were used to conceal 544 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa, weighing 408kg hidden in a false compartment and meant for distribution in Yola, Mubi, and Gombe.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, July 1, arrested a suspect, Mr Segun Odeyemi, conveying 89 jumbo bags of skunk with a total weight of 3,842kg in his truck around Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki, while in Osun state an abandoned J5 Peugeot bus marked AAA 521 SQ with bags of fresh pepper used to conceal 25 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 300.5kg was recovered along Akure-Ilesa expressway after its occupants sighted NDLEA officers on patrol on Friday, July 7.
In the same vein, operatives in Ogun State on Thursday, July 6, raided a skucchies factory at Ajaka Sagamu, where a suspect, Mr Adekunle Adekola, was arrested. Exhibits recovered from the premises include 10kg cannabis; 1,356 litres of skucchies; 20 litres of codeine; seven deep freezers; a set of firman generators; and two gas cylinders, among others.
