The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered a shrine used for storing illicit drugs, guarded by a snake, in Edo State. During the raid, agents discovered a large, specially constructed hole in the wall, concealed behind wallpapers and ritual objects, designed for drug storage.
The agents recovered the drugs from a concealed hole. Additionally, two women, Sonia Chinonso Ezumezu and Risikatu Tijani, were apprehended, and the guarding snake was neutralized during the operation on June 18, 2024.
According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the operation resulted in the recovery of various drugs, including methamphetamine and high-potency strains of cannabis known as Loud, Colorado, and Arizona, totaling 8.743 kilograms.
The statement detailed that the shrine, located in the Igor community of Benin City, featured a hidden storage area behind wallpaper and fetish items.
In Abuja, a 76-year-old man named Francis Omofa was arrested in connection with 340.8 kilograms of cannabis sativa. On June 18, NDLEA agents intercepted a white Nissan Frontier pickup, disguised with fake security registration, loaded with 454 compressed blocks of cannabis. Omofa, who admitted to being involved in the drug trade for a decade, was linked to the consignment, which was sourced from Uzeba, Edo State.
Babafemi reported that two other individuals were arrested with 209 kilograms of cannabis in a separate operation in Edo State. On June 22, NDLEA operatives raided the Usen forest in Ovia South West LGA, resulting in the arrest of Obi Ferguson, 45, and Ernest Abanum, 46, and the seizure of cannabis and a motorcycle.
