Attempts to export large consignments of illicit drugs, particularly cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Europe through various disingenuous modes of concealment by desperate drug cartels via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The drugs were intercepted while those behind the bids were arrested.
Top on the list of those so far arrested in connection with the seizures is a Nigerian based in Athens, Greece, Iwuozor Edward Chinedu.
The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday , February 5, 2023, that Chinedu was debarked from an Ethiopian airline flight on Friday, February 3, after officers in the tarmac team of NDLEA intercepted two bags during a secondary check exercise at the foot of the aircraft.
Babafemi said that when the bags were searched in Chinedu’s presence, with 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 grammes respectively.
“During preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he came to Nigeria three months ago to do a 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 two million naira (N2,000,000),” the spokesman said.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Monday, January 30, arrested a pregnant woman, Mrs. Sylvester Gloria Onome after 800 grammes of skunk were discovered concealed in two small radio sets she was sending to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
On the same day, operatives also intercepted a consignment going to Congo Kinshasa, 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 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, January 27 following the seizure of 300 grammes 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, January 26, 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 weighing a kilogramme, as well as 300 grammes of skunk and 100 grammes ecstasy (MDMA) were recovered.
A freight agent, Mfonabasi Victor Joseph, had already been 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 reportedly confessed he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra State and was taking them to Italy to sell.
Barely a month after intercepting a consignment of 24.5kg cannabis indica concealed in used vehicles imported from Canada, operatives at the Tincan seaport 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.
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, February 1.
A 40-year-old secondary school teacher, Sani Isah, was arrested by operatives at a house in Jekadefari area of Gombe State on Thursday, February 2, 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, February 4, in Sharada area of Kano with 420 blocks of cannabis weighing 282kg.
A dealer of the same substance, Akeem Azeez, 39, was nabbed with 612kg recovered from him in Akure, Ondo State.
After a follow-up operation in Minna, Niger State, operatives of the Kogi State command of the NDLEA arrested 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.
Appreciating the efforts and commitment of the officers, men and women of the MMIA, Tincan and all concerned state commands 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.
