By Olukayode Idowu
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted attempts by drug syndicates to export large consignments of cocaine, methamphetamine and opioids through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey and Qatar.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said this was achieved in series of intelligence led operations, who led to the recovery of the illicit drugs and the arrest of the masterminds of the crimes.
He said a total of 13 parcels of cocaine weighing 4.4 kilogrammes cocaine going to the United Kingdom via Frankfurt on a Lufthansa Airlines flight were intercepted by NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Lagos airport on 5th November 2024 while a businessman linked to the consignment, Ekeocha Anayo, was tracked and arrested on 8th November.
He also said the bid by another businessman, Adegbite Solomon (aka Obama) to export 7,800 pills of tramadol, 180 tablets of rohypnol, and 60 bottles of codeine to Italy was also foiled at the departure hall of the Lagos airport last Monday when NDLEA operatives arrested him after recovering the opioids concealed in food and other items while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy. The suspect claimed to have travelled to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea and earned a living as a street beggar before delving into logistics business.
Babafemi said also arrested is another businessman, Anoke Kingsley with 1,100 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in his luggage while attempting to board his Ethiopian Airlines flight going to Istanbul, Turkey at the terminal 1 of the Lagos airport last Friday.
The spokesman said following credible intelligence, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, and their counterparts from the FCT Command of the agency last Friday raided a hotel room at the Federal Housing Authority estate, Lugbe, Abuja, where they arrested two suspects: Omeh Uchenna, 36, and Anene Chigozie, 34. He said recovered from them was 1.8 kilogrammes methamphetamine, which they were preparing to travel with to Qatar.
He said another suspect, Akande Olasunkanmi, was arrested with 1.8 kilogrammes methamphetamine by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the NDLEA at his 9 Durojaiye street, Lawanson area of Surulere, Lagos home after weeks of intelligence and surveillance, adding that in another intelligence led operation, officers of an NDLEA task force on Saturday foiled the attempt by a trans-border trafficker, Emmanuel Okeke to smuggle 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from Ghana into Lagos. The pills were concealed in the body compartments of a Toyota Hummer Bus belonging to GUO Transport Company, driven by the suspect. The vehicle was intercepted at Ijanikin area of the Lagos-Badagry expressway while coming from Ghana.
In Edo state, not less than 997 kilogrammes cannabis was recovered during raids in parts of the state. While 680kg cannabis and a Sienna bus marked FST-320 AE were seized at a bush path to Oghada forest in Oghada, Orhionmwan local government area, 180.5 kilogrammes of same substance was recovered from a suspect, Cecilia Ibe, 31, at Ofosu forest, Ovia South West local government area and 136.5 kilogrammes evacuated from a building in Otuo community, Owan East local government area last Thursday.
He said a suspect, Ifejimagha Chinonso was last Wednesday nabbed with 88.3 kilogrammes cannabis by NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway while personnel of Kano Command of the agency last Friday arrested Ahmed Goni, 30, at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano- Zaria road where they recovered from him 65,730 capsules of tramadol.
In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect Adio Sulaiman with 120.8 kilogrammes cannabis and some litres of codeine at Gaa Odota in Ilorin West local government area, while Kelechi Obichere, 42, was nabbed with 75 kilogrammes cannabis at Eziobodo, Owerri West local government area, Imo state last Thursday. A total of 563.74 kilograms of same psychoactive substance were recovered from a 60-year-old suspect Anthony Anakabi, following his arrest at Iyalode, Iyana church area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, DI, Oyo, Lagos, Imo, Kwara, Kano, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
