By Uzor Odigbo
Operatives of Nigeria Customs Service Strike Force have seized tramadol and other drugs worth over N5billion during the recent Sallah holiday patrol in Lagos.
Briefing newsmen at the Customs Training College in Lagos, Spokesman for the service, Joseph Attah disclosed that the drugs were being moved on Sunday, August 13 during recent Eid El Kabir Muslim celebration.
Attah, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs said: ” Operating on the erroneous belief that festive period is a time of merriment and less vigilance, smugglers of illicit drugs attempted to move their deadly drugs from Lagos to other part of the country.
“On Sunday, August 13,2019 at about 2am, the operatives of Headquarters Strike Force intercepted one truck laden with dreaded codein, tramadol and other controlled pain killers along Maryland, Ikeja.
“Already, the Controller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali(rtd) has directed thorough investigation with a view to bringing all those connected to the drugs to justice.
“Meanwhile evacuation of the drugs to the Federal Operations Unit has commenced.”
Attah added that the drugs which have no National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) numbers are estimated to be loaded in 21 trucks.
Further investigations, according to him, led customs operatives to a warehouse where the drugs were stocked with intent to move them.
Aside tramadol , he said the seizures includes codein, controlled pain relievers and other unregistered medicines.
Usman Yahaya, the officer in charge of the team said efforts are on to arrest the smugglers and anyone connected with the smuggling of the drugs.
“We are investigating and will get to the root of the matter. We will leave no stone unturned to get the perpetrators.
“Aside these trucks we have here, there are many other drugs in the warehouse which our men have sealed awaiting full evacuation of all the drugs.”
Customs recently carried out destruction of similar drugs worth over N14billion in Ogun State in collaboration with NAFDAC, Nigerian Army and other collaborating agencies.