By Rebecca Mu’azu, Gombe
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Gombe State has seized 1,222 kilograms of Tramadol, including over 2 million capsules, in a major drug bust.
According to NDLEA, the opioids, concealed in a salt-laden truck, were headed for Gombe and Borno states, and three suspects have been arrested, with authorities praising the operation as a key success in curbing drug abuse.
Speaking with journalists during the public viewing of the opioid medicine, NDLEA Commander in Gombe State, Mr. Okechukwu Nkere, called for collaboration among stakeholders to combat the rising menace of drug abuse, as the state ranks highest in drug consumption in the North East.
Tramadol, which is usually used for the short-term relief of moderate to severe pains, is abused by some people because of the euphoric feelings it gives.
Mr. Nkere said in all, 2 million, 190, thousand capsules were recovered and three persons had been arrested, including the driver and two others.
Breaking down the contents of the cartons, Mr. Nkere said 30 cartons of the Tramadol tablets and 146 cartons of its capsules were also recovered.
Mr. Nkere said the drugs were intercepted on the 13th of September, 2024, where they were concealed in a truck with salt at the entrance into Gombe at about 8 pm and that on the 14th, it searched to ascertain what the NDLEA had suspected.
The Gombe State Commander of the NDLEA said the organization was able to remove the drugs from circulation based on credible intelligence from credible intelligence.
Mr. Nkere said even though Tramadol was a legal drug in the range of 50 to 100 milligrams, its movement becomes illegal when it is not supported by legal documents of where it originated and where it was going to, such as a Way-Bill and the pharmaceutical license.
“If the consignment doesn’t have such documents, then you know that it is for illegal use,” Mr. Nkere said.
While thanking the Gombe State Government for synergizing with the agency, he called on the public to cooperate with the NDLEA, but the war on drugs could not be fought by the authorities alone.
“The drug war is not a one-man war; it’s not an NDLEA War. It’s all our war. This war is a continuous war that must be fought by everyone. So, let all hands be on deck, let’s fight this hydra-headed monster to be able to bring this menace to its barest minimum in Gombe State,” said Mr. Nkere.
He said all stakeholders should cooperate to tackle drug abuse because Gombe had been ranked the highest-consuming state in the North East.
The Commander of the Gombe State Command of the NDLEA said after the case had been concluded in court, the drugs would be destroyed.
Gombe State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullahi Bello (Rtd), praised the swift action of the NDLEA in intercepting the drugs and working to keep the state safe.
Lieutenant Colonel Bello described the confiscation as a significant haul.
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