Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a businessman, Osuoha Christian Iheanacho, 50, for ingesting 90 wraps of cocaine at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu.
Iheanacho was intercepted on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at the arrival hall of the Enugu airport during the inbound screening of passengers arriving from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on an Ethiopian airlines flight following months of intelligence and surveillance on him.
The Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, November 24, 2024.
According to the statement, Iheanacho was subsequently placed on excretion observation during which he egested 90 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.019 kilograms in seven excretions.
“Investigation reveals that the suspect who operates phone and accessories business in Lagos and Gabon, Central Africa, travelled by road from Gabon to Douala, Cameroon from where he took a flight to Addis Ababa where he swallowed the pellets of cocaine while in transit and thereafter continued his journey to Enugu with Lagos as his final destination.
“He deliberately complicated his movement to distort traces of his travel history unknown to him that he has been on NDLEA watchlist for the past three months. In his statement, Osuoha said he desperately needed the money from the criminal drug trade to boost his declining phone and accessories business,” the statement noted.
In another operation carried out by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the Agency on Thursday, November 21, head of a cocaine distribution cartel, Ndive Maxwell Obinna, 42, was apprehended along with five of his associates at Ago Palace Way in Okota, Isolo, Lagos, and a total of 2.412 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from them in the process.
Other members of the drug trafficking organization arrested along Obinna are Okeke Gloria Ifeoma, who is the syndicate’s stash keeper; Ikechebelu Emmanuel Chibuzor; Okorie Onyedikachi; Okonkwo Nnabugo Prince; and Okafor Blessing Anita.
In a related development, another drug syndicate operated by a Chinese man, Tianzhen Yen (alias Jackie), 58, has been dismantled by NDLEA operatives following his arrest at his hotel in Ikeja area of Lagos.
Mr. Babafemi stated that officers of the Seme Special Area Command of the Agency had on Thursday, November 21, intercepted a suspect, Yakubu Emmanuel Mark, 40, in a commercial bus going to Ghana at the Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Seme expressway based on credible intelligence.
“When he was searched, a total of 750grams of cocaine were found in his bag. A swift follow up operation was organized to trace and arrest the kingpin behind the trans-border drug trafficking syndicate, who turned out to be a Chinese citizen, Tianzhen Yen. He was eventually traced to MC Hotel behind Alade market, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. When his hotel room was searched, 4.3grams of cocaine; a gram of methamphetamine; two electronic weighing scales; and Chinese National Identification Number Card, among other exhibits were recovered while he was arrested in the vicinity of the hotel,” he revealed.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives on Sunday, November 17, arrested a physically challenged woman, Mustapha Boja, 50, with 286 grams of Colorado and Loud strains of cannabis at Araromi Street, Ikere-Ekiti, while 64kg of cannabis sativa was recovered at Akinyele motor park, Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday, November 21.
The statement added: “Not less than 1,200.5 kilograms of same psychoactive substance were seized during raids by NDLEA officers in parts of Edo State. At Utese forest in Ovia North East LGA, 463.5kg was recovered on Thursday 21st November; while 507kg was seized at a compound in Owan village, Ovia LGA where the duo of David Ojo Ederin, 60, and Afoje Frank, 24, were arrested on Friday 22nd November. Another suspect, Godwin Okhoya, 40, was nabbed with 230kg of same substance at Okpuje, Owan West LGA.”
“In Kano, four suspects: Usman Sani, 25; Abdul Mohd, 28; Bunu Ali, 27; and Umar Musa, 30, were on Tuesday 19th November arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria- Kano road, with 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 45kg, while Ayuba Umar Zaranda, 55, was nabbed with 124kg cannabis at Pengana village, Toro LGA, Bauchi State.”
In the same vein, Commands and formations of the NDLEA across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization 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 Sardauna Academy, Malumfashi, Katsina State; Community Secondary School, Ede-Oballa, Nsukka, Enugu State; Government Secondary School, Riji, Kano State; Government Secondary School, Ogba, Ahoada East Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State and the youths and community leaders of Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti 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 AIIA, SIU,Tincan, Onne, Seme, Ekiti, Oyo, Kano, Bauchi, and Edo Commands of the Agency.
Gen. Marwa mentioned 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.
