Operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two brothers: John Abugu and Kenneth Abugu, with 5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in walls of their suitcases at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
John, 43, and Kenneth, 31, were arrested while attempting to board a flight to India. They were apprehended on Thursday, April 3, following proactive processing of credible intelligence.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to Thelensng by the Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi on Sunday.
According to the statement, the brothers claimed that they were travelling to India for medical treatment but when their suitcases were thoroughly searched by NDLEA officers, whitish powdery substances later confirmed to be cocaine were discovered on the walls of their bags.
Similarly, NDLEA officers of the MMIA Strategic Command, on the same day, intercepted a 20-year-old Ghanaian–British man, Parker Darren Hazekia Osei, with 36 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 19.40kg, packed in a giant travelling bag.
“The suspect who claims he is a student of Computer Science at East London University, UK, was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, at the E-arrival hall of the Lagos airport.
“In his statement, the techie claims he lives with his parents in the UK but left London about a week ago for Bangkok where he picked up the illicit drug consignment to deliver in Nigeria,” the statement noted.
Elsewhere (Kogi State), the agency’s operatives nabbed a 33-year-old lady, Ngozi Ogili while moving 3kg of methamphetamine from Lagos to Abuja.
Babafemi revealed that Ogili was apprehended in a commercial transport bus along Okene-Lokoja highway on Monday, March 31, 2025.
“A follow up operation at her point of delivery in Apo mechanic area of Abuja led to the seizure of quantities of Loud and Colorado, both synthetic strains of cannabis,” he stated.
In Abia State, NDLEA officers on April 5, arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Nna Nnanna Felix with 1.6kg skunk, a strain of cannabis during a raid at Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West LGA, while another suspect David Chinemerem, 21, was nabbed with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine at 7, Nnajiego Lane, Umuode road, Aba on Tuesday, April 1.
The spokesperson disclosed that no fewer than 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol were seized from a suspect, Abdullahi Adamu, along Potiskum-Damaturu road, Yobe State by NDLEA operatives on Saturday, April 5.
He also mentioned that raid operations at Osogbo motor park, Onitsha and a house at Oba in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State led to the arrest of Obinna Sunday, and the seizure of 195,000 pills of tramadol.
Another suspect, Ugochukwu Ojalanonye, was equally arrested during the raid at the motor park with 4.2kg codeine syrup and 5.4kg pentazocine.
The statement added: “In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 3rd April arrested 51-year-old Sunday Ayogu with 25kg skunk and 90.4g of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Wuse market Abuja, while two ladies: Faith Effiong Etim, 64, and Victoria Asuquo Etim, 40, were nabbed on Friday 4th April when NDLEA operatives supported by men of the Nigerian Army raided cannabis plantations in Esuk-Odot community, Odukpani LGA of Cross River State where 250,000 kilograms of the psychoactive plant were destroyed on over 100 hectares of farm land.”
However, the Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities, among others in the past week.
The activities include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Cave City Secondary School, Ogidi, Anambra State; Residents of Dan’iyau village, Batagarawa LGA, Katsina; and Members of Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers in Sangere and Kwanan Waya, Yola, Adamawa State, among others.
Reacting to the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, Yobe, Abia, Kogi, Anambra, Cross River and FCT Commands of the Agency.
Marwa said 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.
