A suspected major cannabis dealer in Lagos has been apprehended by officers of the Lagos State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The arrest was made during raids on selected volatile areas used as hideouts by drug trafficking gangs in the State. Dried weeds suspected to be cannabis weighing 584kg was seized from the drug gangs at Olosha, Mushin where the suspect, Dada Etop Ejalonibu, 38 years old was apprehended. The suspect is currently being interrogated by narcotic investigators attached to the Lagos command.
Lagos State Commander of the anti-drug Agency, Mr Aliyu Sule stated that the drug suspect has been on the command’s list of wanted drug dealers. “The command has arrested one Dada Etop Ejalonibu who is believed to be a major distributor of cannabis in Mushin area of the State. We carried out two separate raid operations on their hideouts where the suspect who has been on our wanted list was arrested. In the first operation, 475.6kg of dried weeds of cannabis was seized while another 108.4kg was recovered in another operation bringing the total quantity of cannabis to 584kg” Aliyu explained. The commander appealed to Lagos residents to report activities to the Agency for prompt action.
The suspect accepted ownership of the drugs adding that joblessness forced him into drug sales. In his words, “I have been dealing in drugs for the past three years. At the time of my arrest my partner had gone out. I dropped out of the University in 200 levels due to lack of sponsorship. The cannabis trade enable me to take care of my wife and three children. I had wanted to quit but the profit is high and there is no alternative job opportunity”. Dada Etop hails from Osun State.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade said that the raid operations are preparative efforts by the Agency towards a hitch free yuletide. “The raid operations being carried out in Lagos and other States are designed to cut off drug supplies to drug addicts. The strategy is yielding good results; imagine the seizure of 584kg of cannabis in two raids. There will be series of similar operations between now and December to ensure a safe and peaceful end of year celebrations. Any person connected to this case will be brought to book. The raids will be extended to key points in the country in the days ahead” Giade assured.
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