Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended three blind suspects allegedly running an illicit drug ring between Lagos and Kano, Nigeria’s two largest cities.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement that the syndicate’s activities came under scrutiny following the arrest of Adamu Hassan, a 40-year-old blind suspect, while in transit from Lagos to Kano via the Gwagwalada expressway in Abuja on October 28, 2023. Hassan was found in possession of 12 kilograms of cannabis, commonly known as skunk.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Hassan was unaware of the illicit content of the bag he was tasked with delivering to Kano. Further operations led to the arrest of Bello Abubakar, the 45-year-old mastermind of the syndicate, who is also blind.
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Abubakar, a married father of five, confessed to being involved in the illicit drug trade for the past five years, having resided in Lagos for three decades.
Another suspect, Muktar Abubakar, a 59-year-old blind individual, has lived in Lagos for 40 years and is married with three wives and 14 children. Muktar, like Bello Abubakar, acknowledged their involvement in the illicit drug business.
The third suspect, Akilu Amadu, a 25-year-old also visually impaired, contributed funds to the criminal enterprise and was responsible for handing the consignment over to Hassan at the motor park in Lagos for delivery to Kano.
The expected receiver of the consignment in Kano, Mallam Aminu, another blind suspect, remains at large. The NDLEA is pursuing Aminu and intensifying its efforts to dismantle the entire syndicate.
