NDLEA smashes Lagos drug cartel, arrests kingpin, others

By Nnamdi Okosieme

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) on Saturday in Lagos smashed a notorious illicit drugs cartel operating in the Patey area of Lagos.

In the operation, Mrs. Sherifat Kehinde Lawal, a major drug kingpin, was arrested along with six other suspects by NDLEA  operatives who also recovered 5,862 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including Loud and Codeine.

The  operatives acting on credible intelligence and following up with surveillance on illicit drug dealing in Osho, Gambari, and Beecroft Streets, Patey Area of Lagos Island, stormed the Gambari street base of the drug kingpin where they arrested her and six of her accomplices at 9:30am Saturday 26th February 2022.

Other members of the cartel operating in the axis however mobilised hoodlums who attacked the operatives with stones, bottles and guns in a bid to prevent the officers from arresting other kingpins marked for arrest as well as taking the suspects already nabbed and drug exhibits away.

The operatives were able to tactically defend themselves, took the suspects and exhibits away. Other suspects in custody with Mrs. Lawal include: Ahmed Yisau; Solomon Alape; Olayemi Akinola; Salami Qudus; Bakare Rafiu; Rose Samson; Yusuf Rofiat, and Chukwudi Egon.

Reacting to the arrest of the suspects and seizure of the illicit drugs,  Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the Lagos Command of the Agency for the successful operation. He warned those being used by drug cartels to obstruct or attack anti-narcotic officers in the course of doing their work to desist or face dire consequences.