Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a businessman, Olisaka Chibuzo Calistus for attempting to smuggle 256 wraps of cocaine weighing 6kg into the country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
The seizure, made on Sunday, December 15, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is the single largest interception of cocaine at the Kano airport since the creation of MAKIA Command of NDLEA in 2006.
This was contained in a statement made available to thelensng by the Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi on Sunday.
“Olisaka who claims to be into import and export business was subjected to body screening during which he was found to have packed hundreds of cocaine pellets in his body,” Mr. Babafemi stated.
According to him, a similar attempt by an ex-convict, Olarenwaju Bada Akorede to export a consignment of rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at the airport.
He disclosed that the consignment was hidden in a cargo containing garri, shoes, men’s singlets and other items.
“Olarenwaju was convicted for a similar crime earlier this year following his arrest on 12th December 2023 for attempting to ship 4.90kg tramadol and 2.10kg rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Lagos airport. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos with an option to pay a fine of N900, 000, which he paid and was freed before returning to repeat the same crime.”
Similarly, an Italy-based businesswoman, Cynthia Akaeen was on Wednesday, December 18, arrested by NDLEA officers while trying to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy via Addis Ababa.
Babafemi revealed that the suspect was intercepted at the departure point of terminal 2 of the Lagos airport during an outward clearance of passengers going to Italy, and a total of 9,190 tablets of various brands of tramadol weighing 6.00kg were recovered from her.
Cynthia confessed that she was promised 1,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Italy.
The anti-narcotics agency added: “No fewer than 418,330 pills of tramadol 225mg, 100mg and tapentadol 250mg as well as 8,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a warehouse at a building material market in Onitsha, Anambra State on Tuesday 17th December when NDLEA operatives raided the market following credible intelligence.
“At the Tincan Island port in Lagos, a total of 180,000 bottles codeine syrup were recovered on Wednesday 18th December from a container, which originated from Mundra, India. The seizure was made during a joint examination of the container by men of NDLEA, Customs, DSS, police, and other security agencies at the port, while a suspect Makata Emmanuel, who is the consignee and notify party, was promptly taken into custody.”
The spokesperson also noted that a total of 293,000 capsules of tramadol, a pistol and 26 rounds of 7.65mm live ammunition were recovered from the duo of Ishaya Wabba, 54, and Samaila Audu, 44, when they were arrested in a Toyota Sienna bus at Pompomari Bypass, Maiduguri, Borno State.
In the same vein, another suspect Sanusi Abdul Hamid, 37, was nabbed at Gwange area of the state capital with 260, 000 capsules of the same psychoactive substance on Monday, December 16.
The statement further read: “A 35-year-old suspect Modu Kolera was equally arrested on Wednesday 18th December at Custom area of Maiduguri with 8.5kg cannabis; 5,000 pills of tramadol; 7,500 tabs of diazepam; 14,500 tablets of exol and 50 litres of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance, in his Volkswagen Golf car marked DKW 812 AA.
“While a suspect Gafar Saminu, 30, was arrested on Wednesday 18th December with 33.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa, at Ayete, Oyo State, NDLEA operatives in Enugu same day raided the Aria new market where they recovered 94kg of same substance.
“In Lagos, a consignment of 32 kilograms ephedrine, a precursor chemical going to the South East was on Monday 16th December recovered at the Young Shall Grow Luxurious Vehicles Park, Maza-maza.”
Meanwhile, 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 sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Wajah Girls Government Day Secondary School, Hong, Adamawa; Students and staff of Government Girls Tahfizul Quran Salihawa, Gwarzo, Kano; Students and staff of Riyadul Quran Islamiyya School, Bagudo, Kebbi 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 MAKIA, MMIA, Anambra, Borno, Lagos, Oyo, Enugu, and Tincan Commands of the Agency.
Marwa urged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their oars as they intensify their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
