NDLEA arrests Spain-based businessman with cocaine hidden in sandals
…Nabs tramadol kingpin with 100,000 tablets at Lagos transport hub
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, announced its operatives have arrested a Spain based businessman, 50-year-old Francis Akajiobi, at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, after parcels of cocaine weighing 1.20 kilograms were discovered in his pair of sandals while attempting to board his Royal Air Maroc flight to Madrid, Spain.
NDLEA said the two parcels of cocaine were concealed in the soles of a pair of black sandals Akajiobi was wearing to board his flight when NDLEA operatives intercepted him on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement by Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
Babafemi stated that the suspect claimed during his preliminary interview that the consignment was delivered to him at a bar in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and was to deliver it to his friend and neighbour in Spain for a fee of five thousand euros (€5,000) upon successful delivery to the recipient.
He also announced that a suspect, Makinde Sodiq Lekan, has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 99 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 51.60kg that arrived the SAHCO Imports shed of the Lagos airport on a Turkish Airlines flight from Canada via Istanbul, Turkey.
Meanwhile, NDLEA said its operatives at the Special Operations Unit targeting syndicates that specialise in shipping large consignments of opioids into neighbouring countries from where they attempt smuggling them into Nigeria in smaller quantities through transport companies, have arrested one of the kingpins, Chukwuemaka Obodozie.
Babafemi said the suspect was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, July 21, at Cele bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa express road, Lagos with 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg loaded in two bags shortly after his arrival from Ghana via one of the transport companies plying the Lagos-Ghana route.
According to him, the intelligence led-operation followed five months of surveillance around the suspect.
In a similar development, the Agency announced that no fewer than 17 suspects were arrested on Friday, July 26, its operatives raided the Owena forest in Oriade LGA, Osun State, where they destroyed 31,250 kilograms of cannabis on 12.5 hectares of farmland, while 84kg of processed cannabis sativa was recovered along with a single barrel Dane gun.
Those arrested, according to the agency include: Peter Osuya, 51; Zebron Ode, 46; Dogo Reuben Matthew, 35; Isaac Terna; Joseph David Lawrence, 27; Ugochukwu Victory, 24; Olamilekan Abolarin, 26; Dele Ayibo, 44; Ojo Moses, 21; Nini Ayila, 27; Msughve Clement, 23; Chuks Ogeneku, 40; Dada Aribo, 20; Uche Endurance, 30; Patrick Agba, 21; Osakwe Kennedy, 45; and Ojo Babatunde, 29.
In Kaduna state, NDLEA said its operatives on stop and search patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway on Saturday, July 27, intercepted a 32-year-old lady, Ubaida Aliyu in possession of 573 rounds of 7.60 live ammunition, which she claimed she was attempting to deliver to bandits in Sokoto.
According to the statement, while a suspect, Godwin Udochukwu, 35, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 25,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway, another suspect, Alkasim Mikailu, 35, was nabbed in Kano on a follow up operation following the seizure of 37,880 ampoules of Diazepam injection along Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Two suspects: Abioye Adeniyi, 39, and Rafiu Lekan, 41, were arrested with 55 jumbo wraps of Ghana Loud by NDLEA operatives at Oloko along Badagry-Seme road, Lagos on Friday 26th July, while Samson Ifeayi Egwutouhi, 30, was nabbed same day by officers on patrol along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Expressway with 20 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa that weighed 10.500kg. In Bauchi State, two suspects: Suleiman Yahaya, 50, and Ibrahim Bello (a.k.a Special), 35, were on Thursday 25th July arrested with 315 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 204.750kg along Maiduguri bye-pass, Bauchi town.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, MMIA, Osun, Bauchi, Kogi, Seme, and Kaduna Commands for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa praised their pulverising onslaught against drug cartels across the country.
He also expressed delight in the balance of their drug supply reduction efforts with drug demand reduction activities, while urging them not to rest on their oars.
