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Two members of a high powered drug syndicate Odoh Oguejiofor and Chigozie Uzoma have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the agency, the two were nabbed for their involvement in illegally importing and trafficking lethal synthetic drugs like opioid and Fentanyl, in Ogbogwu Market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Anambra State.
The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday, said that Fentanyl, is many times stronger than Tramadol and can cause a large amount of fatality amongst the youths who are obvious targets of the cartel.
“The arrest of two members of the syndicate – Odoh Oguejiofor and Chigozie Uzoma at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra State, in a well-coordinated and clinical operations, is coming on the heels of an alert issued by the anti-narcotics agency on Tuesday, November 22, 2022″, Babafemi began.
“The alert revealed that some criminal elements were plotting to flood the Nigerian market with the drug, which is currently responsible for over 70 per cent overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States. According to the CDC in the US, Fentanyl is 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin.
“Following credible intelligence and synergy with local and international partners, the NDLEA was able to mobilise necessary assets to trace the illicitly manufactured drug to the Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, reputed to be the largest drug market in West Africa, after months of undercover monitoring,” Babafemi revealed noting that the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), had ordered the arrest of the syndicate after a satisfactory investigation by men of the agency.
Babafemi added, “Odoh Oguejiofor was the first to be arrested while on a business mission with packets of 100 micrograms of Fentanyl, while the arrest of Uzoma who is a major dealer in other illicitly manufactured pharmaceutical opioids including Fentanyl, followed.
“While packs of liquid Fentanyl were recovered from Oguejiofor, different quantities of banned and controlled drugs including Fentanyl were seized from Uzoma.
“They include ampules of Fentanyl injection, Ozempic solution for injection in pre-filled pens, ampules of Sustanon 250mg/ml, ampules of Rivavirin injection 200mg/2ml, ampules of Erythropoietin injection, ampules of Recombinant anti-Rho-D Immunoglobulin injection 300MG, ampules of Pethidine 100mg/2ml solution for injection and Zoladex 3.6mg Goserelin.”
The Chairman of the NDLEA, applauded the efforts of his men urging them to do more to bring down any more defaulters.
“We’ll no doubt hunt down every member of this criminal gang before they do further harm to our public health, especially our youth population. In the meantime, I’ll like to thank our international partners for the huge confidence in us and their support and partnership for the benefit of humanity. In the same vein, I’ll urge parents and other stakeholders to be vigilant, alert and warn their young ones against attempting experimenting with this illicit substance,” Marwa stated.