OPERATIVES of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested a pregnant woman among suspected drug traffickers in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
The operatives also intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs, especially cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine during an attempt to export them to Dubai, UAE and Europe through various disingenuous modes of concealment by drug cartels via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.
This is contained in a statement issued by NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the pregnant woman, identified as Mrs. Sylvester Gloria Onome, was arrested on January 30, 2023, by operatives of the anti-narcotics agency at the NAHCO export shed of the airport after 800 grams of skunk were discovered concealed in two small radio sets being sent to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The NDLEA spokesman said on Friday, February 3, 2023, that a Nigerian based in Athens, Greece, identified as Iwuozor Edward Chinedu was removed from an Ethiopian airline flight after officers in the tarmac team intercepted two bags during a secondary check exercise at the foot of the aircraft.
The statement said, “When the bags were searched in the presence of Chinedu and other airport stakeholders, two big pellets wrapped with foil papers and some sprinkles of pepper were recovered from each of the two sides of one of the bags. The pellets were used to construct false walls at the sides of the bag.
“The two parcels contained substances that tested positive to cocaine and heroin with a gross weight of 1.30kg and 900 grams respectively.”
Babafemi noted that during a preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he came to Nigeria three months ago for surgery, which he was not comfortable doing in Athens.
“He further claimed he was given the bag to deliver in Greece for a fee of N2,000,000,” the statement said.
Similarly, he said that on January 30, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a consignment going to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, containing 111 bottles of body cream that were used to conceal 24.50kg of ephedrine, a chemical precursor and active ingredient to produce methamphetamine.
The statement further read, “The cargo was later traced to a trader at Alaba trade fair complex, Ojo area of Lagos, Onyekachukwu Uduekwelu after the initial arrest of two freight agents.
“Another housewife, Mrs. Okpara Chizoba Victoria was arrested at her residence at 37 Obashola street, Ijesha area of Lagos on Friday 27th Jan. following the seizure of 300 grams of skunk hidden in a bag of crayfish she was sending to Dubai, UAE through a freight agent.
“In the same vein, operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Thursday 26th Jan. intercepted a sack of new clothes going to Sierra Leone.
“During a thorough search of the consignment, a parcel of white crystalline substance that tested positive to methamphetamine with a gross weight of 1kg, as well as 300 grams of skunk and 100 grams ecstasy (MDMA) were recovered.
“A freight agent, Mfonabasi Victor Joseph was already arrested in connection with the seizure.
“No fewer than 255,500 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from an Italy-based suspect, Duru Josephat who concealed the drugs in two of the bags he was travelling with to Milan, Italy on an Ethiopian airline flight.
“He confessed he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra state and was taking them to Italy to sell.
“Barely a month after operatives at the Tincan seaport intercepted a consignment of 24.5kg of cannabis indica concealed in used vehicles imported from Canada, they have again seized 75.75kg of the same substance, which came from Montreal, Canada, hidden in a container of four used vehicles with number MSCU 5336680.”
The statement added, “Coincidentally, the consignment has also been traced to a suspect already in custody in connection with the earlier seizure, Steve Adigwe and his accomplice, Cedrick Maduweke who is still on the run.
“In Bauchi state, a suspect Clement Ekweozor, was nabbed at Rafin Zurfi area, Bauchi town with 28,088 pills of tramadol and other opioids, while 12,000 capsules of the same drug were among others recovered from four suspects when their commercial bus marked UGH 978 KS was intercepted at Koka junction, Asaba, Delta state by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 1st January.
“A 40-year-old secondary school teacher, Sani Isah was arrested by operatives at a house in Jekadefari area of Gombe on Thursday 2nd Jan. for dealing in new psychoactive substance, Akuskura. 2,198 bottles of the substance concealed in six bags were recovered from him while he claimed to have started the illicit business since 2018.
“In Ogun state, 190kg of cannabis were recovered from a dealer, Emmanuel Ibrahim in Lafenwa area of Abeokuta following credible intelligence, while three suspects: Mohd Sani Alasan, Yusif Musa and Musa Musa were arrested at Maidile area of Kano with 2,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup. Another dealer, Bako Ibrahim, 55, was also arrested on Saturday 4th February in Sharada area of Kano with 420 blocks of cannabis weighing 282kg.
“Another dealer of the same substance, Akeem Azeez, 39, was nabbed with 612kg recovered from him in Akure, Ondo state. Following a follow-up operation in Minna, Niger state, operatives of the Kogi state command of the Agency now have in their custody a suspect, Michael Ikechukwu Ofili, 30, over the interception of his consignment containing 106,800 pills of tramadol sent to him from Onitsha, Anambra state, along Okene-Lokoja highway.
“While appreciating the efforts and commitment of the officers, men and women of the MMIA, Tincan, Bauchi, Delta, Gombe, Ogun, Kano, Ondo and Kogi state commands of the Agency towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across the country not to relent.”
