Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have stormed the Ujiogba Forest Reserve in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, where they destroyed 7,286 kilograms (72.86 tons) of ware-housed skunk and five hectares of its plantation.
Director of Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, said: “The special operation carried out on February 22, 2023, following credible intelligence that some cartels had warehoused hundreds of jumbo bags of the illicit substance inside the thick forest of the reserve for distribution to some states ahead of the general elections.
“The operation could, however, not go on immediately until after several road blocks set up by armed guards of the drug lords were cleared and they were overpowered by the superior firepower of Strike Force officers of the Agency in a gun duel.
“After the initial resistance, two rifles, spent cartridges of short guns and an empty shell of AK-47 rifle were recovered while a 24-year-old suspect, Calvary Essien, was arrested.
“After the gun fight, the NDLEA operatives in their numbers successfully descended on a big warehouse constructed with wood and zinc containing 100 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 3.2 tons; 5,000 bags of cannabis weighing 65 tons; and 137 bags of cannabis seeds weighing 4.66 tons, totalling 72.86 tons.
“Seven bags of cannabis and a bag of its seeds were, subsequently, taken out of the warehouse for further investigation and prosecution of suspects while the rest was set ablaze.
“This is coming on the heels of a similar operation on January 18 in Opuje forest in Owan West LGA of the state, where massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of the psycho-active substance were destroyed and set ablaze in a two-day operation.
“At least, a Police impersonator, Omoruan Theophilus, 37, who was parading as a Police Inspector to convey the drugs from the forests to the cities and three others: Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53, and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in connection with the drugs.”
Reacting to the latest operation in Ujiogba forest, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd), commended officers involved in the effort and all the almost 10,000 officers, men and women deployed across the country in the pre-election renewed offensive action to clear every part of the country of illicit substances for use by thugs and miscreants before, during and after the elections.
