Funke Busari
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has made an unprecedented arrest in Sokoto State with an interception of a trafficker at the Illela border.
Nkem Timothy, alias Auwalu Audu who is 36 years old was arrested with 62 wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine weighing 1.550kg, which has an estimated street value of about N1billion in Sokoto State.
In a release by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, operatives of the NDLEA intercepted the suspect on a motorcycle around the baggage area at Illela border while trying to cross to Niger Republic while his final destination was to be Algeria where he resides. The illicit drug was neatly concealed inside youghurt bottles.
Segun explained that, the suspect was found with an ECOWAS passport with different name written as Auwalu Audu but he gave his real name as Nkem Timothy”.
The Commander added that his men had commenced further investigation to unravel his sponsor and other members of the transborder drug cartel.
He said, “This is a ground breaking feat for us in the Command as seizure of this magnitude of type A drug (cocaine) has never been made in Sokoto Command before”.
The Adamawa state Command of the Agency also said it has arrested one Umar Mohammed with 82 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 70kg at Lafiya Lamurde area of Adamawa state.
The agency’s Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has thus commended the two Commands and charged them to remain vigilant and ensure no illicit drug goes in or out of their areas of responsibility.
