NDLEA detains businessmen for cocaine smuggling, seizes N2.2bn worth of drugs at Lagos airport
By Adeyanju Esther
The NDLEA has intercepted N2.2 billion worth of codeine bottles at Lagos port.
Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike, a businessman from Onitsha, Anambra State, expelled 68 wraps of cocaine after a 12-day observation period following his arrest by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the local wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement disclosed by the Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi on Sunday, Ibeanusi, a 36-year-old, was apprehended early on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the old domestic terminal of Lagos airport while trying to catch the first flight from Lagos to Abuja, where he was set to connect to a Qatar Airways flight to Vietnam at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja around 10 a.m. that day.
The suspect, who had been under NDLEA surveillance based on intelligence, arrived in Lagos from Onitsha, Anambra State, on August 7. He stayed in a hotel where he swallowed 68 wraps of cocaine before heading to the airport for a 6:30 a.m. flight the next morning. NDLEA operatives intercepted him, and he was placed under excretion observation. Over the next 12 days, he excreted the cocaine pellets, which totaled 1.282 kilograms.
Babafemi reported that another businessman, 54-year-old Paul Okwuy Mbadugha, was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Abuja airport on Monday, August 12, 2024. Mbadugha was attempting to board Qatar Airways flight QR 1432 to Hanoi, Vietnam, via Doha when he tested positive for cocaine ingestion. After being observed for four days, Mbadugha expelled a total of 88 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.710 kilograms.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives have arrested another Onitsha-based businessman, Aligbo Chukwudi Jacob, following the seizure of 1.20 kg of cannabis concealed in a package destined for Dubai, UAE.
The MMIA Strategic Command intercepted the shipment at the export shed of Lagos airport. Investigations traced the cargo to a courier company in Onitsha. After a series of follow-up operations, Aligbo was apprehended in Onitsha on Saturday, August 17.
Meanwhile, NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit has apprehended five female cross-border drug traffickers at the Seme border as they were returning to Lagos from Ghana.
The syndicate’s leader, 42-year-old Olaribigbe Bashirat Feyisara, had been under surveillance before being arrested on Wednesday, August 21. Along with her, the NDLEA also detained gang members Abogun Fatimah Ladidi, Osibeluwo Tolulope Oluwaseun, Akanni Balikis Oluwatoyin, and Ajetumobi Amudalat.
At the time of their arrest at the Seme border, the NDLEA recovered 14 packs of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, totaling 6.97 kg from concealed areas on their bodies.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives at Tincan Seaport in Lagos on Friday, August 23, intercepted two containers arriving from Mundra Port in India. The containers held 1,596 cartons of codeine-based syrup, containing 319,200 bottles of the opioid, with a street value of N2,234,400,000.00. The recovery followed a joint examination with other port stakeholders.
In Edo State, two women were arrested by NDLEA operatives for selling illicit drugs online.
Martha Owotorofa, 26, was apprehended at Kada Plaza in Benin City with quantities of Canadian Loud. Odion Uzordinma, 21, was arrested in the Ugbowo area with 30 cups of cookies and 17 slices of cake, all laced with illicit substances. Additionally, on Tuesday, August 20, a raid at Oghada village in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area led to the arrest of Saturday Edobor, 50, who was found with 288.8 kg of cannabis.
In Lagos on Wednesday, August 21, Godwill Davidson was arrested in the Mushin area with 3,834 bottles of codeine syrup, 5,200 pills of Co-Codamol, and 11,880 tablets of Rohypnol. On the same day, Yahaya Ibrahim, 23, was apprehended by operatives along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Expressway in Kogi State with 42,000 pills of tramadol, which he was transporting from Asaba, Delta State, to Potiskum, Yobe State.
Additionally, on Tuesday, August 20, Feranmi Bankole, 25, and Fredrick Tobiloba, 25, were arrested at Pariz Lounge in the Adeoyo area of Ibadan, Oyo State, based on intelligence. They were found with 267.5 liters of skuchies, a mix of black currant and illicit drugs, and 18 grams of Canadian Loud.
In the past week, NDLEA commands and formations nationwide have continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization efforts. These activities included enlightenment lectures at Dan Amus Sangaya School in Sabon Layi, Gombi, Adamawa State; sessions with transport workers in Garki, Enugu State; and talks with students and staff at Kaduna State School of Nursing. Additionally, WADA advocacy visits were conducted at Chrisland University in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, praised the Special Operations Units and various NDLEA commands for their successful arrests and seizures. He encouraged continued commitment to the balanced approach in the Agency’s drug control efforts.
