Only 24 hours after Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, ordered all commands and formations of the Agency to launch an immediate crackdown on the illegal sale and use of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, in response to abuse of the gas by those who use it recreationally, operatives have intercepted over 64, 863.5 kilogram consignments of the gaseous substance at
Following reliable information, NDLEA agents stopped two containers with the codes MSKU 7626856 and MSKU 7689448 at the Apapa harbor on Wednesday, July 12, which were thought to be carrying cartons of nitrous oxide and plastic pressure release nozzles imported from China.
As a result, on Thursday, July 13, NDLEA officials, members of the Customs Service, and other parties involved together examined the containers.
Along with the recreational equipment, 522 cartons of nitrous oxide totaling 16,366 packets and weighing 64,852 kg were found during the search of the two containers.
Stephen Eze, the consignment’s importer, who is 30 years old, and his agent, Michael Chukwuma, were subsequently caught and arrested for more investigation.
In a same vein, on July 13th, NDLEA agents on patrol along the Imo state’s Owerri-Onitsha expressway seized three boxes carrying 18 canisters of the same material, each weighing 11.5kg, that were on their way to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
A quick follow-up operation was carried out at the stadium road area of Elekahia, Port Harcourt that same day, according to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, and resulted in the arrest of 24-year-old Tonye Kalio, the owner of the package.
While praising the proactive and prompt actions of the officers and personnel of the Apapa Port and their Imo state Command counterparts, Marwa stated that the nationwide crackdown on the illegal sale and use of nitrous oxide will continue in order to safeguard young Nigerians from the deadly consequences of drug abuse and for the sake of general public health.
He praised the stakeholders’ and other sister security agencies’ cooperation in attaining the goal.
