Crime

NDLEA Intercepts 1.7 Million Opioid Pills in Noodles

By Web News 504

At least, One Million Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty (1,760,460) pills of Tramadol and other opioids have been intercepted hidden in noodles packs and others at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos as well as in Gombe state.

While over 600,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg coming from Karachi, Pakistan in two separate shipments on Ethiopian Airlines flights were intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December; 5,960 pills of Rohypnol concealed in 60 packs of indomie noodles going to Johannesburg, South Africa were also seized at the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Wednesday 14th December.

According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy
NDLEA in Abuja on, Sunday, said that a female freight agent, Olaleye Adeola has already been arrested in connection with the noodles consignment.

In a related development, a trader at Balogun market in Lagos Island, Akunne Chibuzor Tochukwu was on Tuesday 13th Dec arrested in collaboration with the Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Lagos over his attempt to export a Tramadol consignment to Dubai, UAE.

The consignment was seized at the Lagos airport by NDLEA operatives on 25th November while a market labourer, Oke Abosede Ronke whose services were requested to convey the drug for export had earlier been arrested.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Sunday 11th December intercepted a truck and a bus conveying 113 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 4,802.84 kilograms around the VGC estate area of Ajah while three suspects: Taofeek Yusuf; Ifeanyi Okorie and Israel Nwachukwu were arrested in connection with the seizures.

In Gombe state, a total of 1,154,500 pills of Tramadol, Rohypnol and Exol being transported from Onitsha, Anambra state to Gombe by a truck driver, Umar Hassan, 28, were seized on Thursday 15th Dec. at Bye pass area of Gombe by a team of NDLEA officers following credible intelligence.

Also acting on intelligence, operatives in Edo state on Friday 16th Dec intercepted a Honda Ridgeline pick-up vehicle with Reg No BWR 699 CV loaded with 29 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 319kgs. The driver of the vehicle, Alfred Vratombo, 32, was arrested with fake police uniforms, which he was using to deceive security men on the road.

Attempt by a drug dealer, Chucks Kalu, 29, to smuggle into Kano 26kgs of cannabis concealed inside packs of blenders was thwarted by operatives who intercepted the consignment along Abuja-Kaduna express road and later arrested him in a follow up operation in Kano, just as another suspect, Rabilu Sa’ad Abubakar,42, was also arrested in a follow up operation in Kano, following the seizure of his consignment 1,980 bottles of Cough syrup with codeine, concealed inside cartons, were seized along Abuja-Kaduna express road.

In Bauchi state, operatives on Saturday 17th Dec arrested Muhammed Ahmed, 40, with 288 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 244.5Kg in Darazo area of the state, while in Delta state, NDLEA officers stormed the home of a drug kingpin, Okrika Kingsley Ozioma, at Usiefurum town, Ughelli South LGA, where an underground drug bunk was uncovered in a three-bedroom bungalow building owned by the suspect who is now on the run. 17.6kgs of C/S were recovered from the bunk in addition to a 2003 Silver Golf car with registration number Lagos KJA 572 AZ used for the distribution of drugs within and outside Warri.

In Oyo state, a suspect, Yusuf Ayinde, 40, was arrested with 50.4kgs Cannabis in his residence at Idi-Ose via Amuloko, Ona-Ara LGA, on Saturday 17th Dec.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Gombe, Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Oyo state commands for their commitment and vigilance leading to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) CON, OFR urged them and their compatriots across other formations to continue to surpass their past records of achievements.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

NDLEA Arrests Brazil Returnee with 2.70kg of Cocaine

By Web News 795

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, have intercepted parcels of cocaine concealed in different parts of a travel bag brought into Nigeria by a Brazil returnee, Nwadinobi Charles Uchemadu from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.

A statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, on Sunday says that Uchemadu was arrested on Monday 5th December at the Lagos airport during inward clearance of passengers on the Qatar airways flight following the discovery of three parcels of cocaine weighing 2.70 kilograms factory sealed in parts of his travel bag.

At the SAHCO export shed of the airport same day, NDLEA operatives equally intercepted cans of powdered milk, baby food and beverages used to conceal 3.4 kilograms of cannabis going to Dubai, UAE. A freight agent, Ewelike Chibuike Cyril who presented the consignment for export was subsequently arrested.

In the same vein, parcels of cannabis weighing 6.30kgs concealed in sound systems (speakers) going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea through the SAHCO export shed of the airport were also seized on Thursday 8th December by the operatives who initially arrested a freight agent, Joseph Obiji involved and later the following day, Friday 9th Dec nabbed another agent, Mbanu Ifeanyi Andrew in a follow up operation at ASPAMDA market, Trade Fair complex, Ojo area of Lagos.

At the Akala notorious drug hub in Mushin area of Lagos, no fewer than 15 drug dealers including two ladies were arrested with 1,400kgs of cannabis sativa among other illicit substances such as heroin, methamphetamine, and 320 bottles of codeine syrup recovered from them during a raid of the area on Friday 9th December.

Another raid of the popular Idumota business district of Lagos Island on Saturday 10th December led to the seizure of 35,014 pills of tramadol, diazepam, rohypnol and 21.2 litres of codeine syrup while a targeted notorious dealer is still on the run. This is even as officers of the Directorate of Seaports Operations of the Agency arrested a Malian, Dembele Ousmane on Monday 5th December with 32,400 capsules of tramadol 225mg concealed in factory packed buckets of custard while attempting to travel to Mali via boat at Ebute -Ero Jetty in Lagos.

In Ondo state, operatives on Tuesday 6th Dec. stormed sharp corner, Ipele forest in Owo area of the state where they arrested Rotimi Oyekan and Precious Aluju with C/S weighing 903.3kgs, while another team of NDLEA officers arrested Babatunde Oluyara at Igbotako area of the state, with 168.5kgs of the same substance; 6kgs of monkey tail and various quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

In Kebbi state, two suspects: Austine Julius and Sale Yakubu were arrested on Sunday 4th December along Yawuri-Kebbi road in a loaded Dyna Truck with 117 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 1,070 kilograms concealed under bags of oranges. The following day, Monday 5th December, another set of two suspects: Abdullahi Bala and Ibrahim Wade were intercepted along Koko- Kebbi road in a Dyna Truck loaded with 114 bags of the same substance weighing 1,140 kilograms concealed under crates of soft drinks.

A raid operation in Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State led to the arrest of a pregnant 30-year-old dealer, Aniekem Evelyn, with 1,161kgs of C/S recovered from her warehouse.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Seaports Operations, Ondo, Delta and Kebbi state commands for their hard work and diligence leading to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) CON, OFR urged them and their compatriots across other formations to intensify their efforts.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

9-Month Old Pregnant Woman, Grandmother in NDLEA Net over 5,527.15kg Meth

By Web News 823

A 60-year-old grandmother and an expectant mother were among those arrested during interdiction operations in which 5,527.15 kilograms of methamphetamine and cannabis sativa, as well as 132,090 tablets of tramadol and 2,000 bottles of codeine were recovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA across five states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the past week.

A statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja on
Sunday said that the grandma, Mrs. Sandra Esther Ibinosun was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state in a follow up operation following the seizure of 5.5kg Loud variant of cannabis imported into the country from South Africa.

The consignment, which she claimed was sent to her by her daughter was concealed in two giant Speakers as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos on board an Airpeace Airline flight.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives also on Saturday 26th November intercepted 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight. A cargo agent, Salako Omolara Fausat who brought the bag containing the illicit drug to the airport and an intending passenger to Brazil, Anyanwu Christian who was to travel with the consignment were promptly arrested.

Another attempt by a freight agent, Adebisi Aina Hafsat to export 3,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts to Banjul, Gambia through the NAHCO export shed was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and arrested her on Monday 28th Nov, while a follow up operation to Ebute-Meta area of Lagos the following day, Tuesday 29th Nov led to the arrest of the actual owner, Afam Chibuke Stanley, who is a spare parts seller. This was followed by the seizure of 100,000 tablets of Royal brand of Tramadol 200mg with a gross weight of 68.90 kilograms imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Ethiopian Airlines at the SAHCO import shed.

In Abuja, operatives stormed the warehouse of a notorious drug lord and an ex-convict, Ibrahim Momoh, alias Ibrahim Bendel who escaped from prison custody to return to his criminal trade and recovered 81 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,278kgs. Though the fleeing drug dealer is still at large and is wanted by the Agency, his warehouse keeper, 55-year-old Ghanaian, Richard Forson Gordon was arrested.

Ibrahim Momoh was first arrested on 27th November, 2014 with the same substance weighing 385.1kgs, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on 22nd of April, 2020 but escaped from jail after three months. Meanwhile, no fewer than 2,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized in a commercial bus by operatives on Friday 2nd December along Lokoja – Abuja expressway.

In Rivers state, operatives on Saturday 3rd Dec arrested a 29-year-old pregnant woman, Kate Ibinabo with 34.4kgs cannabis sativa in Okrika area of the state. The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR, has however directed that she be granted administrative bail pending when she will be delivered of her baby and thereafter return for her prosecution because at the time of her arrest, she is in her ninth month of pregnancy.

In Ondo state, 241 bags of the psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3,133kg were recovered from a building at Ilale Cashew, Ehinogbe, Owo, on Tuesday 29th Nov. At least, 507.9kgs of cannabis were also seized during a raid at the hideout of a fleeing drug dealer in Mushin area of Lagos on Thursday 1st Dec.

In Cross River, 53 jumbo bags of C/S weighing 567.05kgs were seized from three suspects: Bassey Boniface Eyibio, 38; Effiong Akiba Etim, 30 and Ngbong Raymond, 45 at Mpara junction, Odukpani LGA on Thursday 1st Dec while conveying the consignment in a bus marked CKK 74 AA. Operatives equally arrested another suspect, Ali Mohammed along Potiskum- Damaturu road after they found 29,090 tablets of tramadol in his personal Honda car marked ABC 914 RW coming from Gombe to Damaturu, Yobe state.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Rivers, Ondo, Lagos, Cross River and Yobe Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Gen. Marwa charged them and their counterparts across other formations to continue to step up their offensives against drug cartels.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

NDLEA Arrests Another Saudi-bound Passenger with Cocaine in Sandals

By Web News 597

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the weekend disrupted the activities of a major cocaine syndicate in Lagos following the arrest of a 56-year-old trafficker, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga who was on a mission to deliver 400grams of the class A drug concealed in a pair of palm sandals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the swift follow up arrest of a wanted notorious kingpin, Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan popularly known as Teacher, who recruits mules for the cartel.

NDLEA operatives attached to the screening point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos had on Thursday 24th November intercepted Lawal Lateef Oyenuga with a pair of black palm sandals packed in the luggage he was going with to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airways flight.

Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said a thorough examination of the sandals revealed they were used to conceal two parcels of cocaine weighing 400 grams. This is barely a week after a 56-year-old widow and mother of four, Mrs. Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika was arrested at the airport over her attempt to traffic 400 grams of cocaine concealed in her footwear to Makkah, Saudi Arabia on board a Qatar Airways flight.

In his statement, Oyenuga claimed he was recruited to traffic the drug by Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan popularly known as Teacher, adding that he was first given some pellets of cocaine to swallow but when he couldnt do that, then he was given the ones concealed in the palm sandals. He said he resorted to the criminal trade to raise money to pay an examination fee for his daughter who is in Senior Secondary School class 3.

The Agency’s database reveals Wasiu Sanni (Teacher) has been linked to some previous attempts to traffic cocaine to Saudi Arabia and Dubai, UAE.

He was earlier named as the one who recruited a BRT driver, Bolajoko Muyiwa Babalola for Lagos socialite and owner of Adekaz Hotels, Alhaji Ademola Afolabi Kazeem (a.k.a Alhaji Abdallah Kazeem Muhammed) to traffic drugs to Dubai.

Bolajoko was arrested on 27th June while taking 900 grams of cocaine to Dubai while Ademola Kazeem was nabbed on Thursday 10th November, barely 10 days after he was declared wanted by NDLEA.

A follow up operation in the early hours of Friday 25th November led to the arrest of the kingpin, Teacher, who specialises in recruiting mules for drug barons in Lagos and its environs at his residence located in Ikorodu area of Lagos. The 64-year-old Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan is a housing and property agent, with seven children and four wives, one of whom is now late.

In another follow up operation to the seizure of 1.10kg cannabis concealed in bottles of body cream going to Dubai on 9th September, the actual owner of the consignment, Wordu Hopewell Chukwuemeka who runs a boutique business in Port Harcourt, Rivers state was arrested in the Garden City on Thursday 24th Nov.

In the same vein, operatives attached to NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on Tuesday 22nd Nov. intercepted a consolidated cargo from Johannesburg, South Africa via an Airpeace Airline flight. The cargo contained different items, including cloths, cereals, baby toys, drinks, and a set of two big black speakers, which were used to conceal 25 parcels of Loud variant of cannabis, with a gross weight of 5.5kg.

Similarly, operatives attached to the SAHCO export shed of the airport same Tuesday intercepted a carton of food items used to conceal 500 grams of cannabis going to Dubai, UAE while the owner, Uzoma Kingsley was promptly arrested.

In a related development, attempt by an Organised Criminal Group to traffic 131kg of Ephedrine, a dominant precursor chemical for the production of Methamphetamine to Congo Kinshasa through the SAHCO export shed of the airport was foiled on Monday 21st Nov by NDLEA operatives in conjunction with Aviation Security (AVSEC) officers of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Two freight agents: Nwazuru Georgewill and Saheed Muritala linked to the bid were promptly arrested.

Meanwhile, attempt by a drug trafficker, Udogwu James Johnson, facing multiple charges of drug offences to flee the country after he jumped bail has been thwarted by NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt International Airport where he was arrested on Friday 25th Nov.

The 51-year-old suspect was already facing trial at a Federal High Court in Lagos before he was arrested again on Saturday 9th April in Port Harcourt for importing 5.48kg cocaine concealed in lotion plastic bottles sealed with candle wax.

He was granted bail by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on Wednesday 23rd Nov over his latest offence while the Lagos court had issued a warrant of arrest against him for jumping bail over his case in Lagos.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, the move by a Brazilian returnee, Iroegbute Ejike Francis, 46, to smuggle 4kg cocaine soaked in towels stuffed in his hand luggage into the country was foiled on Thursday 24th Nov by NDLEA officers who arrested him, upon his arrival on a Qatar Airline flight from Brazil -Doha-Abuja.

No fewer than 5,851.3 kilograms (5.8 tons) of cannabis sativa were seized from dealers across five states in the past week, including a notorious cripple, Ibrahim Yusuf, 45, who was arrested on Monday 21st Nov. at Gasline, Ifo, Ogun state with 4kg of the psychotropic substance, while a total of 36 bags weighing 570kg of the same substance were recovered in another raid at a forest in Ogunmakin town, Obafemi Owode LGA.

In Edo, operatives on Tuesday 22nd Nov evacuated 141 bags of Cannabis Sativa with a gross weight of 1,884 kg (1.884 tons) stored in a warehouse in Okpe forest, Akoko Edo LGA, while on Thursday 24th Nov, NDLEA officers arrested Ismaila Abubakar, 50, at Okada junction, Ovia South West LGA with 22 bags of C/S weighing 216.5kg. A day after, operatives also seized 112 bags of C/S stored in Obi Camp forest, Ovia South West LGA weighing 1, 512kg.

This was also followed by another seizure of 45 bags that weighed 529.5kg, while officers equally intercepted a Toyota Sienna bus with Reg. No. BDG 598 FZ (Lagos) loaded with 566.5kg cannabis going to Onitsha, Anambra State, and a suspect, Sunday Mathias, 30, arrested with the seizure.

In Ondo state, NDLEA operatives stormed Oke-Ogun forest on Friday 25th Nov where Onyebuchi Chime was arrested with 88kg cannabis, a gun and some ammunition while they also recovered 149.5kg of the substance at Ipele forest. Not less than 12.42 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed and 195kg processed weeds of the substance recovered at Efon Alaye, Ekiti state where two dealers: Richard Ebong and Nze Abraham were arrested on Saturday 26th Nov.

In Oyo state, operatives arrested a 27-year-old Mrs. Adebayo Rahmat on Thursday 24th Nov at Sabo-Ilupeju, Atiba LGA, with 136.3kg cannabis, while no fewer than 84,000 pills of Tramadol tablets were recovered from a suspect, Muhsin Abdullahi in Bodinga area of Sokoto state same day. In the same vein, 16,000 pills of Exol-5 and D5 concealed in palm oil were seized from Lawal Rabe, 24, on Friday 25th Nov at Kokami village, Danta LGA, Katsina while a total of 54,500 tablets of Tramadol and Exol-5 were seized from the duo of Basiru Muhammadu and Saidu Yusuf in the same area on Saturday 26th Nov.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, NAIA, PHIA, Edo, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto, Katsina and Oyo Commands of the Agency for their professionalism in the discharge of their duties and the remarkable results that followed.

He enjoined them and their compatriots across the country not to let down their guards as the nation approaches the festive season.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

NDLEA arrests Saudi-bound Widow with Cocaine-laden Shoes

By Web News 702

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos a 56-year-old widow and mother of four, Mrs Kehinde Sidika Ajisegiri over her attempt to traffic 400grams of cocaine concealed in her footwear to Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

The suspect who claims to be a businesswoman trading in adults and children wears on Lagos Island was intercepted on Sunday 13th November while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight going to Saudi Arabia via Doha.

Upon a critical examination of the pair of sandals she was wearing, two parcels of cocaine weighing 400grams were recovered from them.

In the same vein, attempts by a tricycle parts seller, Ayoade Kehinde Tayo to send 1kg of Tramadol 225mg and Rohypnol to Istanbul, Turkey via Cairo on an Egypt Airline flight same day were also frustrated by NDLEA operatives who arrested him.

He was at the airport to hand over the drugs hidden inside a bag of food items to an intending passenger, Idowu Ayoade but was arrested before he succeeded in doing that.

An intending passenger to Oman via Asky airline, Agbamuche Bright Nkeonye and a lady, Adeoye Oluwakemi Fatimo who accompanied him to present a bag containing varieties of foodstuffs and body lotion which were used to conceal 1.10kg Cannabis and some Rohypnol capsules were also arrested at the departure hall of the Lagos airport on Thursday 18th November.

Anti-narcotics officers attached to the SAHCO export shed of the airport equally foiled attempts by traffickers to smuggle consignments of cannabis and ecstasy tablets concealed in three tubers of yam going to Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 17th November.

The freight agent who presented the yams for export, Inegbu Ugochi Akunna was promptly arrested while the consignor, Ahmodu Sulaimon was also nabbed thereafter.

At the Brawal container shed of Kirikiri lighter terminal in Lagos, NDLEA operatives equally intercepted cartons of deadly drinks in a container marked APZU3671697 during a joint examination with the Nigerian Customs Service.

Though the bill of lading indicated that the container originated from Cape town, South Africa, a search of the shippers’ database showed it was loaded from Antwerp, Belgium. A full inspection of the container on Thursday 18th November showed a total of five cartons of beverages labelled as Euphoria cannabis beer and three cartons of cannabis energy drink were found.

Other drinks in the container include: 21 cartons of a drink labelled as monkey shoulder; 20 cartons of dead man’s finger; and 139 of champagne fruit, among others. In a related development, not less than 5.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine and tramadol were discovered in items like play station, bicycles, motor propeller and local fabrics packaged for export to Australia and Cyprus through some courier firms in Lagos.

Two suspects, Gabriel Emeka and Vintura Grillo have been arrested in a follow up operation linked to one of the seizures.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on stop-and-search operation along Mokwa-Jebba road on Saturday 12th November arrested two suspects; Ismail Musa and Jidda Abbas with 10,780 bottles of Akuskura, a new psychoactive substance concealed inside two Toyota Camry saloon cars marked AGL 861 GS Lagos and KMK 118 SC Bayelsa.

The consignment loaded in Ibadan, Oyo State, was going to Abuja for distribution.

While operatives intercepted 25,000 capsules of Tramadol in Plateau and arrested the owner, Ifeanyi Nweanwe, a beer parlour operator in a follow up operation in Bauchi, pharmaceutical opioids worth more than 30 million naira were intercepted in a commercial bus in Asaba, Delta State on Thursday 18th November.

In Ondo state, operatives stormed the Ijare forest, in Ifedore LGA on Friday 19th November where a total of 600.5kgs of cannabis weed and seeds were recovered, while 142.8kgs of the same substance were seized when NDLEA officers raided the Zone 3 Motor Park in Wuse area of Abuja.

In the same vein, operatives on routine stop and search patrol along Owerri-Onitsha road arrested a suspect Nwankwo Emmanuel, with 25 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 12.5kgs in a commercial bus going to Port Harcourt from Lagos.

In his reaction to the arrests and seizures in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Tincan, Delta, FCT, Niger, Ondo, and Plateau Commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, for their passion, commitment and remarkable efforts to get results in their areas of responsibility.

He enjoined them and their compatriots across the country to stay focused and resilient in the pursuit of the agency’s corporate goal.

Femi Babafemi Director,

Media and Advocacy

NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja

Sunday 20th November 2022

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Crime

NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron

By Web News 851

Ten days after he was declared wanted, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested fleeing Lagos socialite and owner of Adekaz Hotels, Alhaji Ademola Afolabi Kazeem (a.k.a Alhaji Abdallah Kazeem Muhammed) over offences bordering on exportation and trafficking of illicit drugs as well as money laundering.

The Agency had on Tuesday 1st November declared the suspect wanted following his failure to honour NDLEA invitations and an order granted by a Federal High Court in Lagos. The wanted drug kingpin was uncovered as the sponsor of some traffickers arrested by the anti-narcotics agency in their recent attempt to export cocaine to Dubai, UAE and other destinations outside Nigeria.

In a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA in Abuja on Sunday said the search for him however paid off on Thursday 10th Nov when he was successfully taken into custody where he is currently being interviewed.

His lid was blown open after the arrest of one of his mules, Bolujoko Muyiwa Babalola, a Lagos BRT driver on 27th June at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, when he named Alhaji Ademola Kazeem, alias Adekaz as the owner of the 900grams of cocaine he ingested.

Following Adekazs failure to honour invitations sent to him, the Agency approached a Federal High Court in Lagos with three prayers: to attach and seal his identified properties in choice areas of Lagos island and Ibadan; declare him wanted and block his bank account with a cash balance of Two Hundred and Seventeen Million Naira (N217,000,000.00), all of which were granted.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives also arrested a businesswoman, Okefun Darlington Chisom over her links with two Pakistanis: Asif Muhammed, 45 and Hussain Naveed, 57, arrested at the Lagos airport with 8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a sound system while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Lahole, Pakistan via Doha on Saturday 5th Nov.

An automobile parts dealer, Omeje Oliver (a.k.a David Mark) who was arrested on Monday 31st October in Enugu where he fled to after abandoning his business at Aspanda, Trade Fair Complex Lagos since 16th April in connection with the seizure of 600 grams of heroin concealed inside soles of ladys footwears going to Liberia, has been linked to another drug seizure. A further look at the Agencys database reveals Omeje was also involved in a case of 1.580kg Methamphetamine that was seized from one Victor Nwobodo Friday, who was arrested at the MMIA during his aborted trip to Jakarta, Indonesia on February 6, 2018. Charges have been filed against the suspect at the Federal High Court Lagos in respect of the old seizure in addition to that of the recent one.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO import shed of the MMIA Lagos have intercepted another consignment of Tramadol from Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 6 cartons comprising 497,900 tablets of Royal Tramaking brand of Tramadol 225mg with a gross weight of 304.90 kilograms were recovered after a joint examination by stakeholders on Friday 11th Nov.

Operatives in Ogun state in the early hours of Saturday 12th Nov raided a warehouse at Ogere area of Ikene LGA where they seized 273 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 3,533 kilograms (3.533tons) from a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jesutofunmi Solomon. This came on the heels of the seizure of 176kgs of C/S at Ogere trailer park on Wednesday 9th Nov and the destruction of 15 hectares of cannabis plantation in Gbamgbam area of the state.

In the same vein, operatives in Osun state have raided a cannabis plantation at Obada sawmill, Owena Ijesa in Oriade LGA where they destroyed 1.2hectares, recovered 2,823kgs of processed C/S and arrested 13 suspects on Sunday 6th November.

In Ondo, operatives seized 78kgs of cannabis from a dealer, Beauty Godwin at Ofosu along Benin-Ore express road, and another 264kgs from Abdul Rasheed Mohammed, and Abdul Rasheed Haruna at Sanusi camp 2 in Owo, while in Rivers state, anti-narcotics officers of the Agency arrested Damion Onuoha during a raid at Elele Alimini community, Emuoha LGA, where he was found with 1.6kgs of Methamphetamine as well as monetary exhibit amounting to six hundred and fifty thousand, seven hundred naira (N650,700.00). A joint operation with the military at Habour road, Port Harcourt City also led to the arrest of Sandra David and seizure of different quantities of cocaine and heroin as well as two million, fifty five thousand, seven hundred and fifty naira (N2,055,750.00) cash exhibit from her home.

In Edo state, operatives located and destroyed 10 clusters of cannabis sativa farms measuring 14 hectares at Igwalor forest, Uhunmwonde LGA where five bags of processed C/S weighing 47.7kgs were recovered, while a raid at Obadan village, in the same LGA also led to the recovery 11 bags of cannabis sativa seeds weighing 399kgs and 34 bags of processed substance weighing 431kgs, bringing the total weight to 830kgs. Two suspects: Enododia Sunday and Osayaba Paul were arrested at the scene.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Rivers and Edo Commands of the Agency for the successful operations in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR urged them and their counterparts across the country to intensify the heat on drug barons and cartels.

Olaolu Fawole

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Crime

NDLEA Arrests Two Pakistanis, Blind Nigerien for Drug Trafficking

By Web News 629

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested two Pakistani businessmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos with 8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a public address system while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Lahole, Pakistan via Doha.

The two suspects: Asif Muhammed, 45 and Hussain Naveed, 57, who hold Nigerian residence permits suspected to be fake are frequent travelers to Nigeria under the guise of doing textile business. They were arrested on Saturday 5th November at the Lagos airport barely a week after they came to Nigeria, that is, Sunday 30th October.

A statement signed by Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja on
Sunday, stated also that the operatives at the SAHCO import shed of the airport on Friday 4th November seized 13 cartons of Tramadol 225mg and 200mg imported from Karachi, Pakistan. The consignment has a total weight of 465.10kg and 642,800 pills of the pharmaceutical opioid.

The previous day, Thursday 3rd Nov, operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the airport also intercepted a consignment of different illicit drugs: Cannabis, Cocaine and Methamphetamine as well as Tramadol 225mg and Rohyphnol concealed in footwears and soap packs going to UAE, Dubai. A 32-year-old Oladitan Serah Olufunmilayo who presented the consignment for export was arrested.

Meanwhile, two businessmen who have been on the run for months over their involvement in drug trafficking have been arrested by anti-narcotic officers assigned to track them. Nnebo Ikechukwu Christopher who has been wanted for his role in the importation of 40 cartons containing 346,800 pills of Co-codamol, a brand of paracetamol with Codeine seized at the cargo wing of the MMIA local airport since March 2022, was arrested on Thursday 3rd Nov.

In the same vein, operatives on the trail of an automobile parts dealer, Omeje Oliver (a.k.a David Mark) since April eventually arrested him on Monday 31st October in Enugu where he fled to after abandoning his business at Aspanda, Trade Fair Complex Lagos. He was wanted in connection with the seizure of 600 grams of heroin concealed inside soles of ladys footwears going to Liberia on April 16.

On the same day Omeje was arrested, operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted 550 grams of cannabis loud concealed in machine parts going to Dubai, UAE, while the sender, Ogbure Victor Ifeanyi was later arrested.

In Katsina state, operatives on patrol at Malumfashi-Zaria road, arrested a blind man, Bukar Haruna, 52, and his son Saka Haruna, 30 while heading to Niger republic with 20.5kg cannabis and 10 grams of exol-5. They hail from Damagram area of Niger republic.

No less than 2, 685.5kgs of cannabis were recovered in four different operations conducted in parts of Edo state in the last week. While 53 bags of C/S weighing 742.5kgs were seized on Wednesday 2nd Nov at a camp in Esioriri, Owan East LGA with four suspects: Chukueke Igba, 32; Solomon Peter, 34; Emmanuel Jeremiah, 36 and Happiness Chidi, 37 arrested, another raid in the house of Joy Zubaru, 45, led to her arrest with 30.5kgs of cannabis recovered.

In the same vein, operatives on Thursday 3rd Nov stormed the Egbeta forest in Ovia North East where they recovered 112 bags of cannabis and 8 bags of seeds with a combined weight of 1,598.5kgs, while another team evacuated 27 bags of same substance weighing 314kgs at Amahor village in Igueben LGA.

In Mubi area of Adamawa, operatives on Tuesday 1st Nov. intercepted a Toyota Corolla car transporting 9,600 pills of tramadol. A follow-up operation later led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Mamuda Ramadan, (a.k.a Muller), while another suspect, Alhassan Muhammed, was arrested on Sunday 30th Oct. along Abuja-Kaduna express road, with 136,000 pills of tramadol concealed inside his cars spare tyre.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Edo, Katsina, Adamawa, and Kaduna Commands of the Agency for the successful operations in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR urged them and their counterparts across the country not to rest on their oars until all drug syndicates operating in Nigeria are completely dismantled and the last gram of illicit substance taken out of the streets.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine in Soaps

By Web News 1428

The village head of Gidan Abba in Bodinga local government area of Sokoto State, Abubakar Ibrahim, was among eleven suspects arrested in interdiction operations in which Nine Hundred and Ninety One Thousand Three Hundred and Twenty (991,320) pills of pharmaceutical opioids and 1,251kgs of cannabis and khat as well as 46.637 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin were recovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA across seven states.

According to a release on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja says that at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO import shed on Wednesday 26th October intercepted a total of 15 cartons containing 802,000 pills of Tramadol imported from Dubai, UAE and Karachi, Pakistan. While 10 cartons of Tramadol 225mg came in from Dubai on Ethiopian Airlines flight, four cartons of 100mg and a carton of 225mg Tramadol came from Karachi, Pakistan on another Ethiopian Airlines flight.

On the same day, operatives at the SAHCO export shed intercepted cans of tomato paste going to the United Kingdom. A thorough search of the consignment revealed that the tomato cans were used to conceal 36 pellets of cannabis with a gross weight of 21.30 kilograms while a cargo agent, Sodehinde Akinwale has been arrested in connection with the seizure.

Two days after, Friday 28th October, operatives attached to the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport seized five cartons of dried khat leaves, weighing 107.70kgs that came in from Bangkok, Thailand through Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight.

A follow up operation on the seizure of 11.90kgs Meth concealed in the heads of dried fish going to Dubai, UAE on 5th August has led to the arrest of a 30-year-old bricklayer, Babatunde Quadri Mamowora on Thursday 27th Oct in Sango Ota area of Ogun state in collaboration with men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the area.

In the same vein, a 27-year-old Madu Chukwuemeka Miracle has been arrested by operatives at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu on arrival from Nairobi, Kenya via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Wednesday 26th Oct. A search of his three bags revealed seventy-six (76) foreign bathing soaps made with cocaine in one of the bags while another has two plastic bottles containing cream like liquid, which tested positive to cocaine. The cocaine bars weigh 10.650 kilograms while the liquid cocaine weighs 2.496 kilograms, bringing the total weight to 13.146 kilograms.

In Kogi state, NDLEA operatives on stop and search operation along Okene-Abuja highway on Thursday 27th Oct intercepted a Chisco branded bus coming from Lagos to Abuja with a consignment of 32.9kgs Meth packaged as tubers of yam; 376 grams of cocaine and 215 grams of heroin. While the bus driver, Chief Pascal Chigozie Nmaram was promptly arrested, a follow up operation in Abuja same day led to the arrest of the recipient of the illicit cargo, Mr. Ikenna Jude Akunne who confessed he was detailed to travel with the consignment to Spain the following day, Friday 28th Oct through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Meanwhile, operatives of the state command of the Agency have destroyed five hectares of cannabis farms at Agbonkete, Iyaya Camp, Igalamela/Odolu LGA, where a suspect, Augustine Agbenyo, 34, was arrested with three sacks of both fresh and dried leaves and stems of the illicit substance.

While operatives seized 146,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg in a buy and bust operation in Oshodi area of Lagos state on Tuesday 25th Oct, the village head of Gidan Abba village, in Bodinga local government area of Sokoto State, Abubakar Ibrahim, 38, was arrested in Bodinga town same day with 3kgs of cannabis sativa and 4,000 tablets of exol-5.

In the FCT, operatives on patrol along Kwali-Abuja highway on Monday 24th Oct intercepted a truck with 915.8kilograms of cannabis and arrested three suspects: Kabiru Ibrahim, 40; Muhammad Muawiyya, 30, and Adamu Adamu, 24.

In Adamawa state, operatives arrested two trans-border traffickers, Abdullahi Mamuda (aka Mama) and Aliyu Abdullahi (aka Garga) at Skylight Hotel in Jambutu, Yola North. A search of their vehicle, an ash coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number JMT 146 TE (Adamawa), revealed 39, 320 tablets of Tramadol 225mg concealed in different compartments of the doors of the car.

Preliminary investigation shows the trans-border traffickers took off from Onitsha in Anambra State and travelled to Jimeta, Adamawa State where they lodged in the hotel before heading to Belel, a town along the Nigerian – Cameroon border where they would repackage the drugs as ordinary consumables and ferry across the river to Garoa in Cameroon.

Operatives in Ondo state on Friday 28th Oct stormed a 2-bedroom building in Uso town, where they arrested one Okon Etim, 45, with 12 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 207kgs.

Reacting to the strings of arrests and seizures in the past week across Kogi, Lagos, Sokoto, Adamawa, Ondo and the FCT as well as the MMIA and AIIA Commands of the Agency, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR, commended the officers and men of the various commands for their unrelenting commitment to the presidential mandate to clear Nigerian forests and communities of illicit drugs in whatever form. He charged them to remain steadfast and upright at all times.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

[PHOTOS] NDLEA Intercepts over 2.4million Tramadol Pills from Pakistan

By Web News 848

As notorious drug kingpin bags 7 years imprisonment


Desperate attempts by the tramadol drug cartel to smuggle into Nigeria over Two Million Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand (2, 465, 000) tablets of the pharmaceutical opioid in 225mg and 250mg, weighing Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Six kilograms (2,356kgs) with an estimated street value of One Billion, Forty Million Naira (N1, 040, 000, 000) through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos have been foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

Femi Babafemi, the Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA who made this known in a statement on Sunday, said the seizure of the drug on Friday 7th October came barely a week after about 13.5million pills of the same opioid worth over N8.8billion were recovered by NDLEA operatives from one of the mansions of a billionaire drug baron in the highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, VGC, Lekki Lagos.

Following credible intelligence, the Agency had shown interest in the consignment of 52 cartons that came into Nigeria from Karachi, Pakistan with six different airway bills via Ethiopian Airline flight, comprising seven cartons of 250mg of a brand called tamral and 45 cartons of 225mg, branded as tramaking.

Soon after its arrival at the Lagos airport, the NDLEA called for a joint examination of the consignment with other stakeholders and after its information was confirmed by all, the 52 cartons of the seized substance which are above the recommended threshold for medical use and banned in the country, were moved to the Agencys facility.

In the same vein, another bid to export through the airport 15 parcels of cannabis and 600grams of tramadol 225mg concealed in a sack of crayfish to Dubai, UAE was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and subsequently arrested a freight agent, Osahor Alex Ekwueme, who presented it for export.

Weeks after NDLEA operatives intercepted 5.20kgs of cannabis concealed in kegs of palm oil going to Dubai at the NAHCO export shed of the airport, the brain behind the consignment, Ifeanyi Egbuwaohia, has been arrested in Igando area of Lagos. Though Ifeanyi works as a technician at Computer Village, Ikeja but beneath his known business he also works with a drug network in Dubai, where he sends illicit drugs for distribution. Few hours after his arrest, another consignment of 2.60kgs of the same substance sent by him for export to Dubai was also intercepted by operatives at the airport.

Another consignment of 1.30kgs of cannabis concealed in reconstructed engine blocks going to Dubai have also been seized at the SAHCO export shed while two persons: Olatunji Kehinde Temiola and Osemojoye Femi Sunday have been arrested in connection to the bid.

Meanwhile, In Kaduna state, a female drug dealer, Peace Ayuba, was on Friday 7th October arrested at Kakau Gonin Gora with seventy eight (78) bags of cannabis sativa weighing 849.5kgs, while operatives in Sokoto state arrested Onyeka Owo, 28, with 443 bottles of codeine based syrup.

Ten months after his arrest by NDLEA, a notorious drug dealer in Alaba Rago area of Ojo, Lagos, Alhaji Surajo Mohammed has been convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Yellin Dogoro. Surajo was arrested with 941.15kgs cannabis on Monday 20th December 2021 and arraigned in court in charge number FHC/L/370c/2021. In his judgment delivered on Thursday 6th October 2022, the Judge however gave the convict an option of seven million naira fine.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Sokoto and Lagos commands for the feats, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain steadfast, resolute and unrelenting until the last gram of illicit drugs is taken away from the streets of Nigeria.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

NDLEA Destroys Hectares of Indian Hemp Farm

By Web News 702

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed fifteen hectares of Indian hemp farm in Imosa, Ijebu-East Local Government, Ogun State.

The exercise which was carried out in conjunction with the state government had the Commissioner for Forestry, Mr. Taiwo Oludotun and the State Commander of NDLEA, Mrs. Archie- Abia Ibinabo, in attendance.

Mr. Taiwo Oludotun, while speaking, said the state government was determined to eradicate illegal activities, especially planting, harvesting, and marketing of narcotics.

The Commissioner noted that the state government had directed all Baales in the area to take a census of the people living among them and their occupations to ascertain the dwellers with no legitimate means of livelihood.

He hinted that the exercise would be sustained to rid the state of anti-social elements and illegal activities.

The NDLEA commander in a remark said the agency got the intelligence report of the plantation from members of the public which led to setting the farm on fire.

Mrs. Ibinabo commended the inter-agency collaboration involved in the burning of the illicit farm.

Wale Oluokun

Crime

NDLEA Seizes 502.076kg of Psychotropic Substances

By Web News 460

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA Oyo State Command says it has recorded a total seizure of 502.076kg of Cannabis sativa and other psychotropic substances during the third quarter of the year. 

This is contained in a statement signed in Ibadan by the NDLEA Public Relations Officer, PRO, Mrs Mutiat Okuwobi.

The statement notes that the command also arrested 72 seventy-two suspects comprising 52 males and 20 females within the age range of 17-60 years for various drug offences.

The offences include dealing in Cannabis sativa, Cocaine, Tramadol, Diazepam, Rohypnol, Colorado, codeine, amphetamine, skushies and cake mixed with cannabis.  

It notes further that within the same period 3.851 Acres of cannabis Sativa farmland located at Oluwo village, Ido local government area of Oyo State was destroyed last month.

“Equally, within the same period 17(Seventeen) suspects were charged to court, 13 (thirteen) suspects were convicted for various drug offences with jail terms ranging from 6 (six) months – 4 (four) years imprisonment”.

“The Command gave brief intervention in terms of counselling to 38 (thirty-eight) People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) made up of 30 males and 8 females”.

“We presently have 6 (six) clients undergoing residential rehabilitation. They will be reintegrated into society after successful completion of their rehabilitation.”

“Furthermore, the Command’s sensitisation programmes were extended to over 206 schools and some private organisations. In this regard, we urge schools and other organisations to give our officers some platform through which the enlightenment of their students and workers within the State could be done. We also had some weekly radio and television programmes during this period. “

The State Commander, Abdullahi Saeed, therefore, advised the public to compliment the effort of NDLEA by giving out useful intelligence on how to collectively wage war against drug abuse and trafficking. 

”We cannot afford to sit by and pretend that all is well when our youths are being hooked to drugs and their future being destroyed. It is our collective responsibility to make our land drug-free. Join us in making Oyo State drug-free.”

The statement adds that one locally fabricated pistol with One cartridge and four rounds of 9mm live ammunition were arrested with the suspects.

Rasheeda Makinde

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Crime

BREAKING: NDLEA Discovers 13 million Tramadol Pills in Lagos

By Web News 590

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has busted a mansion in the Lekki area of Lagos State where Tramadol was stored.

NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a terse statement on Monday, said the mansion belonged to a drug baron who is now in custody.

He said the agency recovered 13 million pills of Tramadol 225mg from the mansion.

“Another VGC drug bust! As massive and beautiful as this mansion located in highbrow VGC Lekki Lagos (pictured here) looks, it’s not occupied by humans but used to warehouse over 13 million pills of Tramadol 225mg by another billionaire drug baron now in the custody of @ndlea_nigeria.”

Details coming in a statement shortly,” he said.

This comes days after the agency busted a warehouse in the Ikorodu area of the state where cocaine was stored.

Details later…

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

Crime

Illicit Drugs : NDLEA Nabs Ex-footballer, Others

By Web News 599

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested an ex-footballer, Okafor Emmanuel Junior at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on his arrival from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on board an Ethiopian airlines flight with 1.40kg crack cocaine concealed in his bags.

The 33-year-old indigene of Arochukwu Local Government, Abia State was arrested on Monday 26th September 2022 after anti-narcotic officers discovered he concealed the illicit substance in the handles of his bags and padded the top edges of same with the class A drug.

“He further stated that he moved to Brazil from Sri Lanka after playing for two seasons but could not advance his football career in Brazil due to lack of official documents”.

“Another Brazilian returnee, Ibeh Chinedu Damian was arrested the same day upon his arrival at the Lagos airport from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Ethiopian airlines flight.

“Ibeh who hails from Ahiazu, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, was found to have concealed 3.20kg black cocaine popularly known as ‘Lucci’ in false bottoms of his two bags”.

“In his statement, he said he was to be paid three million, one hundred thousand nairas (N3,100,000) on the successful delivery of the drug in Nigeria”.

In the same vein, an attempt by a 32-year-old businesswoman, Mrs. Pamela Odin to traffic 2.150kg tablets of Rohypnol through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja to Istanbul, Turkey has been thwarted by NDLEA operatives.

The mother of one was arrested on Friday 23rd Sept. while attempting to board a Turkish airline flight with the drug concealed inside pepper and packed among foodstuff.

The indigene of Afiesere village, Ughelli North Local Government, Delta State said she operates a restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey but came to Nigeria to see her relatives and buy food items for her restaurant business.

Meanwhile, two Malians: Mohammed Demoele, 38 and Coulibaly Maliki, 56, have been arrested by officers of the Marine Unit of NDLEA at Ebute Ero jetty in Lagos for attempting to export 34.2kg bottles of new psychoactive substance, Akuskura to Mali through Cotonou, Benin Republic.

In Taraba state, operatives on Thursday 29th Sept. intercepted 100 compressed blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 73.500kg, concealed inside animal feeds, while their counterparts in Ogun state on Saturday 1st October arrested a physically challenged drug dealer, Abdulrahman Mohammed, with 104kg of compressed Cannabis Sativa recovered from him.

Another suspect, Ms. Safiya Bello, was also arrested in Shagamu area of the state with 27kg of psychotropic substance.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of Seaports Operations, MMIA, Ogun, and Taraba Commands for their resilience, while charging them and others across the country to intensify ongoing offensive action against drug cartels and traffickers wherever they may be located in any part of Nigeria.
Culled / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Crime

NDLEA Nabs Man with 5000 Tablets of Tramadol at Lagos Airport

By Web News 514

A 53-year-old man with a disability, Ehiarimwiam Osaromo Emmanuel, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos for drug trafficking.

Ehiarimwiam was arrested on Sunday 28th August on his way to Italy, via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight and found to have concealed 5,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg in his luggage.

Preliminary investigation as contained in a statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi reveals that the suspect is a frequent traveller who often travels with lots of bags containing mainly food items, body cream, hair attachment and drinks.

According to the statement, the suspect was said to have presented his usual large consignment to NDLEA operatives for search but held on to some packages, which were retrieved from him and properly searched during which the drugs were discovered.

crystal methamphetamine

Mr Babafemi also said, as part of ongoing efforts to demobilise and dismantle all organised criminal groups behind the production and distribution of crystal methamphetamine across the country, NDLEA operatives on Monday 29th August raided a suspected clandestine laboratory at Opic estate, Agbara, Lagos.

Clues from the property led operatives to another in the vicinity where one Peter James was apprehended with some quantity of the substance and a follow up operation within the estate also led to the arrest of a meth dealer, Mathew Bobby Imonitie, who was caught with 4.033kilograms of the illicit substance.

Nosa Aituamen

Crime

NDLEA Arrests Pastor with Drums of Meth

By Web News 459

A cleric, Pastor Anietie Okon Effiong has been apprehended for allegedly being in possession of three drums of crystal methamphetamine, according to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

The shipment was imported from India, according to the Agency.

NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi says “The consignment weighing 90 kilograms and loaded into a commercial bus with registration number RSH 691XC at Ojuelegba in Lagos on Saturday 6th August 2022 was intercepted during a stop and search operation along Umuahia, Ikot Ekpene Highway,”.

“The drug, which was packed 30kg in each drum, was intended for Pastor Effiong, who was apprehended in a follow-up operation at Oron beach in Oron.” 

The drums were intended to be taken to the Republic of Cameroon.

FRCN Abuja/Adetutu Adetule

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Crime

NDLEA Arrests 8 over Airports’ Cocaine Busts

By Web News 493

At least two ladies and six men have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, over attempts to import hundreds of cocaine pellets into Nigeria and export thousands of Tramadol 255mg tablets among other illicit drugs to Europe through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA in a statement on Sunday in says, streaks of arrests and seizures began on Sunday 17th July when a 52-year-old father of three, Okwo Paul Okechukwu, was arrested upon his arrival from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia via an Ethiopian airline flight at the Abuja airport for ingesting 76 pellets of cocaine.

During preliminary interview, Okechukwu who hails from Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze LGA, Enugu state, said he was into selling womens wigs and hair attachment before veering into the drug trade. He has since completed excreting all the 76 wraps of the drug he swallowed while under observation at the Agencys facility in Abuja.

In the same vein, another father of three, Lawrence Chijioke, 42, was arrested at the Abuja airport same day in an operational synergy between NDLEA and Nigeria Customs Service at the NAIA. Chijioke, who hails from Umuahia in Umuahia LGA, Abia state was arrested during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis Ababa with 529 pellets of cocaine weighing 11.70kg concealed in his bag.

In his statement to anti-narcotic officers, he claimed he was promised N2 million, which he planned to use to boost his business, upon successful delivery of the cocaine consignment in Abuja.

NDLEA operatives also on Saturday 23rd July arrested 29-year-old Ms. Onuorah Caritas Onyinye at the Enugu airport upon arrival on Ethiopian airline flight from Addis Ababa.

A search of her luggage led to the discovery of 2.192kilograms of cocaine concealed in two designers women handbags with false linings.

Attempts by drug traffickers to export different illicit drugs through the NAHCO export shed at the Lagos airport to Europe and United Arab Emirate were also frustrated by officers and men of the Agency.

The operatives on Monday 18th July intercepted some illicit substances concealed in a consolidated cargo going to Dubai, UAE.

Apart from 24 parcels of Loud, a variant of cannabis, which is largely grown in the United States and Canada, other substances recovered from the cargo include a precursor for methamphetamine, BMK glycidic acid; tablets of designer drug MDMA and another five parcels of cannabis.

No fewer than four freight agents were arrested in connection with the seizure.

They include: Balogun Adesola Olamilekan; Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde; Benjamin Christopher Joel; and Omoniyi Ibukun Abraham;

Also same day, Monday 18th July, the bid by an Italy-bound passenger Tony Osas to export 10, 250 tablets of Tramadol 255mg to Europe through the Lagos airport was foiled by NDLEA operatives who intercepted him at gate B departure hall during outward clearance of passengers on a Turkish airline flight to Milan.

During a search of his luggage, Osas who hails from Ovia South – West Local Government Area of Edo State was found with the illicit substance that weighed 5.70kg concealed inside gari, a local cassava product tucked in his black handbag.

In Kaduna, a driver Jamilu Lawal, was arrested on Sunday 17th July along Abuja-Kaduna express road, with 157,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 37.5kg.

A follow up operation same day led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Abubakar Isiyaku, in Katsina. Another suspect, Isah Mohammed, was equally arrested same day in Kano during a follow up operation, after the interception of his consignment, 2,500kg rubber solution (solvent) locally called Shalisha in Kaduna.

In Abuja, no fewer than four persons were arrested over 345.4kg cannabis seizures in the FCT. While Mohammed Auwal, 37; Godspower John, 34, and Chukwuma Odeh, 35, were arrested in Jabi Park over a 77.7kg drug consignment on Monday 18th July, Isah Yusuf, 25, who hails from Kaura Namoda LGA, Zamfara State, was nabbed with 267.7kg cannabis when operatives raided DeiDei area of the FCT on Saturday 23rd July.

In Sokoto, operatives on stop and search operation along Gusau-Sokoto road arrested one Tochukwu Joseph Oranusi with 20,100 tabs of Rohypnol inside a commercial bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state. Bottles of Codeine Syrup weighing 15.2 litres and 400grams of Rohypnol tabs whose owner, Buhari Sambo was later arrested, were also recovered from the vehicle.

In Anambra, a suspect Azubuike Ogbanu was arrested with 76 cups of Arizona, 172 sachets of skunk, 82 pinches of methamphetamine, 20 sachets of Loud, and 10 wraps of Colorado when his base, Loren hostel, Ifite, Awka, was raided by operatives on Thursday 21st July.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, NAIA, AIIA, Kaduna, Sokoto, FCT and Anambra Commands for the arrests, seizures and their tenacity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their colleagues across the country to remain steadfast in pursuit of the Agencys goal of ridding all parts of Nigeria of illicit substances.

Olaolu Fawole

Crime

NDLEA Nabs Woman with Narcotics in Fetish Bowl at Lagos Airport

By Web News 445

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 27-year-old drug queen, Mrs Opoola Mujidat in possession of narcotics concealed in fetish bowls at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja (MMIA), Lagos.

The suspect planted the drugs concealed in fetish bowls containing scary native black soap and sponge on two Oman-bound male passengers, apprehended at the departure hall of the airport.

The Director Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the passengers: Raji Kazeem and Akinbobola Omoniyi were travelling together to Oman, the Middle East, on Ethiopian Airlines flight on Monday July 11, when they were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the airport.

He said that a search of their luggage revealed wraps of cannabis sativa hidden in bowls of native black soap and sponge packed into a bag containing food items, which Kazeem was carrying.

“Both Kazeem and Omoniyi immediately alerted the anti-narcotic officers that Mujidat who was still within the vicinity gave the bag containing the illicit substance to them at the airport.

“She was promptly arrested. The lady accepted responsibility and stated that she brought the luggage for the two passengers to give to her husband in Oman.

“Mujidat, who hails from Oyo East LGA in Oyo State, confessed during preliminary interview that the bag containing the food items were packed by her with different items, including the black soap used to conceal the illicit substance.

Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of the MMIA Command for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity.

Marwa warned the drug cartels that no matter the ingenuity of their modes of concealment, the dedicated workforce of the agency would always expose them and their tricks.

Guardian/Simeon Ugbodovon

Security

NDLEA Nabs Escapee from Kuje Correctional Centre

By Web News 581

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA says it has arrested one of the wanted terror suspects who escaped from the Medium Security Correctional Centre, Kuje, Abuja following an attack on the facility by insurgents last week.

The fleeing terror suspect, Suleiman Sidi, was arrested in the early hours of Monday, July 11 at Area 1 Motor Park, in the Federal Capital Territory while attempting to board a commercial vehicle to Maiduguri, Borno state, according to a statement by NDLEA Spokesman for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Monday.

He said when searched, three wraps of cannabis Sativa were found on the suspect.

During the preliminary interview, according to the spokesperson, the suspect confirmed he was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre on terrorism and robbery charges, and that he escaped last week Tuesday.

FRCN Abuja/Adetutu Adetule

Security

Customs Intercept Adulterated Diesel, Others

By Web News 497

The Nigerian Customs Service has intercepted 45,000 litres of adulterated diesel and about 11,000 litres of petrol among other seizures recorded within Ogun State in the last 8 weeks. 

The Ogun – One Area Customs Command also generated about 13 million naira revenue from the auction sales of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly called petrol, intercepted at different locations and exit points to the Republic of Benin during the period.

Customs Area Controller of the Command, Mr Bamidele Makinde who made these known to newsmen at Idi Iroko said they also obstructed the illegal importation of about 14 trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice into the country. 

He maintained that allowing the smuggled rice to gain access to the Nigerian market could undermine the Federal Government’s Rice Agriculture Policy. 

Mr Makinde explained that the estimated cumulative Duty Paid Value, DPV, of all the seizures made during the period was about one point two billion naira, stating that intercepting smuggled items could inflict gross financial injury on the perpetrators.

While applauding the support of traditional rulers and other sister security agencies in the fight against cross-border crimes, the Customs Area Controller also announced the handing over of intercepted consignments of illicit drugs and narcotics worth about 221 million naira to the NDLEA Commander of Narcotics, Idi Iroko Special Command, Mrs Ibinabo Achiabia.

Olusegun Folarin

Crime

NDLEA Destroys over N1bn Worth of Illicit Drugs

By Web News 649

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has destroyed over sixteen thousand kilograms of cannabis Sativa and other psychotropic substances worth over one billion naira.

The public burning of the illicit drugs which was held on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway was led by NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa. 

The bags of the illicit hard drugs were piled up in the shape of a pyramid at the burning sire, sprayed with petrol for easy destruction. 

The area was cordoned off by armed security personnel in case of any foul play.

The destroyed hard drugs weighed approximately sixteen thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine kilograms comprising sixteen thousand cannabis Sativa, four kilograms of cocaine and over three hundred kilograms of psychotropic substances. 

Destroying the hard drugs, Chairman National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, said the agency would not relent on its efforts to ensure that the society is free of illicit substances. 

Retired General Marwa, who spoke through the NDLEA secretary, Mr Shadrach Haruna noted that attaining the objectives of the agency’s mandate had become imperative against the backdrop of the 14.4 percent high drugs use prevalence in Nigeria which was almost thrice the global average. 

“Occasions such as this are an open window for the public to have an insight into what the officers and men of the NDLEA are doing behind the scene. What we are here to do today is the tail end of a long drawn process that started with the gathering of intelligence, followed by interdiction, arrests and prosecutions”

“And for the officers and men of the Agency, it is a testament that the hard work of the past weeks months and years are not in vain”

Corroborating, NDLEA Commander in Oyo State, Mr Abdullahi Saeed said the drugs were seized within the state during routine operations from criminal elements whose inclination was to make quick and easy money at the expense of the well-being of the people. 

Mr Saeed said the agency has determined to serve the state maximally in order to change the ugly drug situation. 

The NDLEA State Commander, therefore, appreciated the collaborations with sister agencies, which made the job easy for the Command.

On his part, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Governor, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun pledged his support to the agency to collectively win the war against drug abuse. 

Rasheedah Makinde

Crime

Ex-convict Returns To Nigeria With 4.56kg Of Cocaine

By Web News 675

An ex-convict, Okechukwu Francis Amaechi, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Port Harcourt International Airport for importing cocaine.

The agency in a statement issued on Sunday said Okechukwu finished serving a drug trafficking prison sentence in Brazil in March 2022.

Okechukwu was caught with 4.56kg crack concealed in lawnmower tyres.

Facebook NDLEA/Olaolu Fawole

Crime

Police Arrest Suspected Killers of NDLEA Official in Nasarawa

By Web News 678

The Nasarawa State Police Command said it has arrested the suspected killers of an official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Paul Anwana.

The late Anwana was killed on April 18, 2022, when the suspected criminals, who claimed to be commercial motorcyclists, stormed his residence in the Karu Local Government Area of the state and used several weapons on him until he died.

Parading the suspects on Thursday in Lafia, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adesina Soyemi, explained that the suspects also planned setting ablaze the residence of the victim but they were arrested by police officers attached to the anti-cultism unit of the command before being able to execute the plan.

He said “A distress call was received that commercial motorcyclists were attacking a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency personnel, who was identified as Paul Okon Anwana, and they were about to set his residence ablaze.

“Upon receipt of the information, the Divisional Police Officer New Karu Division, Anti-cultism unit and Crack team led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations swiftly mobilised to the scene where the victim was found in the pool of his blood.

“He was rushed to the hospital by the Police where the doctor confirmed him dead.

“Reacting to the ugly development, a manhunt for the perpetrators of the act was launched. Consequently, via painstaking investigation, 21 suspects who actively participated in the lynching of the victim to death were arrested”.

CP Soyemi mentioned the names of the suspects to include: Mansur Ishaq, 30, Adamu Ado, 22, Kamala Abdulrahaman, 15, Murtala Salisu, 15, Salisu Lawal, 37, Anas Ibrahim, 19, Imrana Ibrahim, 26, Zayanu Usman, 35, Abdulahi Lawal, 22, among others.

He noted that stones, metals, and other hard objects used in the commission of the offence were recovered as exhibits, adding that the suspects have made useful statements that would help to conduct a proper Investigation into the matter.

While parading other suspects arrested for various crimes across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state, CP Soyemi warned criminal elements to desist from terrorising the state and be good citizens as the police would not fail to arrest and prosecute anyone found wanting.

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

Crime

Suspected Billionaire Drug Baron in NDLEA Net

By Web News 649

A suspected Billionaire drug baron behind the N3billion Tramadol deal involving the embattled suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari-led Intelligence Response Team, IRT, Chief Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

Spokesman for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a statement says, after months of surveillance and evading arrest, Ukatu who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies was eventually nabbed onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos Airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April.

According to Babafemi, investigations revealed that Ukatu had been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit.

He stated that Mr. Ukatu owned pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria.

“This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money”.

Giving a background to the suspect, Mr. Babafemi said, Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to the suspect) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos.

“The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18million and N20million a carton in Lagos”.

After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyari’s men then led by the suspects to Mallinson’s warehouse at Ojota in Lagos where 197 additional Cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized by the IRT Team.

According to him, the monetary value of the 202 cartons of Tramadol seized from Mallinson in one day was over N3billion, adding that, three weeks after the seizure, the Kyari’s IRT team transferred only 12 Cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for.

“After over eight months of following the lead, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency eventually arrested Ukatu at the Lagos airport on 13th April 2022. Kyari and four top members of his team are already facing trial for a different but similar offence at a Federal High Court in Abuja”.

 Nosa Aituamen

Crime

NDLEA Intercepts Traffickers with Cocaine in Teabags

By Web News 990

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has thwarted fresh attempts by Brazil-based drug cartels to smuggle Cocaine into Nigeria in teabags.

NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, says that the latest attempts were foiled at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport MMIA, Lagos.

Mr Babafemi explains that at least, four traffickers involved in the attempts to import and export illicit drugs through the country last week are now in the custody of the Agency.

He says one of them is a 33-year-old Pascal Ekene Okolo, who was arrested during an inward clearance of a Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo via Doha at the arrival hall of the NAIA on Sunday 17th April.

Okolo who claimed to be in the wine business in Brazil was arrested with a travelling bag containing different medicinal tea bags, which were used to conceal 4.1kilograms of cocaine.

The same day, a Canada-based Nigerian, Anigo Christian Godspower was intercepted at the D-Arrival Hall of the MMIA, Ikeja, during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways from Sao Paolo via Doha to Lagos.

When his luggage was searched, two blocks of Cocaine with a total weight of 2.10kg were discovered.

The 52-year-old Anigo claimed he operated an unregistered Bureau De Change business before delving into the illicit drug trade.

The bid by another cartel to export 950grams of Heroin concealed in the soles of a lady’s footwear through the MMIA cargo shed was equally foiled by anti-narcotic officers who had so far arrested two suspects linked to the crime.

Those arrested between the 16th and 17th of April in connection with an attempt to export the drug to Monrovia, Liberia include Idokoja Solomon Chukwurah and Patrick John Tochukwu.

Nosa Aituamen/Abdullahi Lamino

Crime

NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine Consignments at 3 Airports

By Web News 701

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted large consignments of Cocaine smuggled into the country through three major international airports in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi on Sunday.

According to the statement, seven traffickers were also arrested in connection to the smuggling by Brazil-based drug cartels.

The Cocaine was hidden and smuggled using unconventional methods like inside toothpaste tubes and footwear.

At the Port Harcourt International Airport, five suspects were arrested on Saturday, April 9.

Three of them were arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt. The three suspects departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on board same Qatar flight, en-route Doha to Abuja and Port Harcourt with a total of 24.96 kilograms of cocaine,” the statement read.

“The first is 51-year-old Udogwu James Johnson who hails from Orlu LGA, Imo state. He was arrested with 5.48kg of cocaine concealed in lotion plastic bottles sealed with candle wax. He claimed he agreed to traffic the drug for a fee of N1million.

“Also arrested is Ezekwueme Ifeanyi Valentine, (32), from Aguata LGA, Anambra State, who was caught with 10.82kg cocaine packed in 84 sachets concealed in seven duvets, while the third trafficker, Chiezie Ikechukwu Arinze (35), from Dunukofia LGA, Anambra State, was arrested with 8.66kg cocaine hidden in 115 golden and silver colour 30ml breakable bottles factory packaged with lotion on top.

“The fourth suspect, Uchechukwu Onwugbufor (42), from Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, was arrested at the airport car park while waiting to receive one of the traffickers, Udogwu James and his consignment. He claimed he was contacted by someone in Brazil to receive Udogwu and lead him to Lagos for a fee of N100,000. Uchechukwu Onwugbufor was at the Airport with his neighbour, Nwogu Ezimadu, who is equally being investigated to determine if he’s complicit in the crime or not”.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, a Psychology graduate of Imo State University, Owerri, Sebastine Emeka Kelvin, (30-years-old), was arrested with 74 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.454kg on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight enroute Doula- Addis Ababa-Abuja on Wednesday, April 13.

“The father of one who claimed he’s a motor spare parts dealer is from Ezeagu in Ezeagu LGA, Enugu stateHe said he’s lived in Cameroon for six years before going into the drug business to raise money to boost his trade. He added that he was introduced to the man who gave him the drugs at Addis Ababa by another person serving jail term for drug offence at the Doula Newbell Prison,” the statement said.

In Lagos, another Brazil-based passenger, Uba Samuel was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, by NDLEA operatives on Friday, April 15, on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa to Lagos with sachets of cocaine weighing 633grams concealed in his footwear and toothpaste tube.

While accepting ownership of the drug, the suspect who claimed to be a cobbler from Abia State, said he used his shoe-making knowledge to conceal the drug in his pair of sandals.

Uba who is a regular traveller confessed he bought the drug to sell at a market in Abia.

Meanwhile, more illicit substances were recovered in raid operations in other parts of the country. In Gadaka village of Fika LGA, Yobe state, operatives arrested one Hassan Usman with a total of 22, 110 tablets of Tramadol, D5 and Exol 5, while one Ali Mohammed was nabbed in a commercial vehicle coming from Kano to Maiduguri with 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 33kg. Also arrested on the Kano-Maiduguri route was a driver Ibrahim Khalil Idris with 60 packets of Tramadol, all on Tuesday 12th April.

In Kogi state, 750 blocks of Cannabis weighing 750kg were seized from two suspects: Hassan Adamu, 25, and Abdulmalik Abdullahi, 24, along Okene-Abuja highway. The drug exhibits were concealed inside fabricated panels of a Ford bus.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the PHIA, NAIA, MMIA, Yobe, and Kogi Commands of the Agency for disrupting desperate attempts by drug cartels to traffic dangerous drugs into Nigeria and across the country.

He said the huge seizures at the airports will send a strong message to drug barons that Nigeria will no longer be their safe destination or transit route.

Channels/Olaolu Fawole