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One Michael Ajibade, a 45-year-old ambulance driver attached to Medbury Medical Company, has been arrested alongside his escort, one Olatunde Emmanuel, as they attempted to smuggle N2.8million worth of Tramadol out of the Lagos Port Complex.
        The arrest was confirmed by the Customs area controller, Apapa Area Command, Abba Kura, who disclosed that customs officers on duty intercepted the banned substance at the port gate. the ambulance used was supposed to be stationed at the port to provide injured or sick dockworkers with emergency medical services and rescue operations. According to Kura, at the time of its interception, the ambulance was on top speed, with sirens blaring and the driver pretending to be on an emergency call. He said: “Those behind the failed attempt to bring in cartons of Tramadol are saboteurs with some internal collaborators. On Friday, July 12, 2019, at about 11pm, my officers on routine surveillance intercepted an ambulance (Hyundai) with registration number LND 605 XW Lagos, suspected to be laden with offending articles of trade.  Upon examination, the said ambulance was discovered to be carrying 10 cartons of 225kg Tramadol tablets valued at N2,814,139. Two suspects named: Michael Ajibola (driver) and Olatunde Emmanuel (escort) were arrested along with the ambulance. “Furthermore, an investigation into the source of the stolen Tramadol revealed that the drugs were pilfered from an undeclared container. Physical examination further revealed that 211 cartons of the drugs were missing from the container. Kura lamented over the fact that some recalcitrant and unpatriotic citizens were not relenting in their desperate urge to sabotage the efforts of customs officers, even as the agency was working hard to free the country of illicit goods.
        Giving his confession statement, Ajibade said he had been offered the sum of N2,000 to move the illicit substance out of the port. He said: “It was one Yusuf who contracted me to move the items out of the port using my ambulance. I was at the car wash located inside the port when he approached me. “He told me that it was cartons of soap and offered to pay me N2,000. I saw it as an easy way to make quick money. I never knew that I will be caught. I beg the government to forgive me, I did it out of ignorance and with the urge to make ends meet.” The escort, Olatunde Emmanuel, on his part, said he is a dockworker and that he was offered N50,000 to follow the ambulance driver out of the gate. He said: “My job is to follow the ambulance driver so that he will not run away with the consignment. The owner met me at the car wash and offered to pay me N50,000. “He told me that the content of the cartons was soap. I was shocked when it turned out to be Tramadol.