The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have prevented drug syndicates from smuggling consignments of cocaine, loud and a synthetic strain of cannabis at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The hard substances were concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears.
NDLEA also hindered some courier firms from illicit shipments in the state and apprehended some suspects linked to the operation.
The Director, Media & Advocacy of the Agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi made this known in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the statement, a businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu was also on Thursday, July 18, 2024 arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence.
Alebiosu was nabbed after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms hidden in packs of chess boards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight were intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of Customs Service.
“A search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits including some drug paraphernalia, such as, weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki. A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house,” the anti-narcotic agency stated.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Friday, July 19 seized two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.
The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.
“Further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.”
Similarly, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, on Thursday, July 18 intercepted a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.
The Agency disclosed that the suspect was going to Dubai through Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline.
“A thorough search of the bag revealed eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg were concealed in the ladies’ native wears. The suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on successful delivery in Dubai.”
It also revealed that not less than 4.5kg of the same substance concealed inside the door panels and boot of an imported Toyota RAV 4 vehicle was on Sunday, July 14 recovered from a container marked MSDU 5656394 from Canada during a 100% search of the container at Tincan port in Lagos.
Consequently, two suspects; Dada Kole and Alaba Oladewusi were apprehended in connection with the seizure.
“Meanwhile, a 48-year-old one legged man, Amadu Garba was arrested by NDLEA operatives in his house at Yawuri town, Kebbi State with six bags of cannabis weighing 67kg on Tuesday 16th July.
“In Abuja, two suspects: 60-year-old Ademola Elusakin and 34-year-old Nuhu Friday Adamu were arrested by NDLEA operatives on Monday 15th July with 30.0kg of the same psychoactive substance along Kwali-Gwagwalada-Abuja expressway on their way from Lagos to Nasarawa State.
“Elusakin claimed he procured the consignment from Ghana via Lagos with Keffi, Nasarawa state as his final destination, where they were to supply illegal miners operating in the area.
“At least, 305 blocks of cannabis weighing 152.5kg were recovered from a suspect, Sale Bukar, 39, who was arrested at Geidam in Yobe state on Sunday 14th July while taking the illicit consignment to Diffa, in Niger Republic.
“While a suspect: Aham Regal Chinemeze, 43, was nabbed on Thursday 18th July with 60kg of same substance along Owerri – Onitsha expressway, Imo state, Adamu Abdullahi, 24, was arrested with 40.500kg on Wednesday 17th July along Obajana -Kabba expressway, Kogi State. The consignment was recovered from him in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Kano.
“In Plateau State, a raid on the storehouse of a notorious drug dealer, Choji Gyang (aka Pararam) who is currently at large, at Rukuba road, Jos led to the recovery of 34 bags of cannabis weighing 312kg while his manager, Kelvin Onwutalu, 43, was arrested.
“Two suspects: Ifabiyi Johnson, 27, and Adeleke Musiliu, 54, were on Friday 19th July arrested with different strains of cannabis sativa weighing 30.4kg during a raid in Osogbo, Osun State,” it added.
The Agency further said: “In Jigawa State, the trio of Tukur Yahaya, 55; Idris Haruna, 28; and Tanimu Umar, 29, were nabbed with 90 blocks of cannabis weighing 116.8kg at Roni junction, Kazaure LGA, on Friday 19th July while on their way to supply the illicit drugs to their customers in Kazaure, Yankwashi and Katsina State.
“Similarly, the duo of Ibrahim Abdulkadir, 29, and Suleman Mohammed, 22, were arrested with 336 bottles of codeine syrup at Amingo, Kaduna, while Auwalu Hashimu, 35, was nabbed with 45 kilograms of cannabis along Zaria- Kano highway.
“Acting on credible intelligence, a team of NDLEA operatives backed by soldiers raided a mechanic workshop opposite Benin garage, Akure, Ondo State where they recovered a white Toyota Hilux Van with registration number EE 328 EKY loaded with 652 parcels of cannabis weighing 685kg.
“In Nasarawa State, 38kg of the same psychoactive substance and a locally made AK-47 rifle were recovered from the home of a suspect, Christopher Ombugadu, 32, in Akwanga during a raid on Sunday 14th July.”
In the same vein, the Commands and formations of the Agency 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 for students and teachers of Federal Science and Technical College, Dayi, Katsina State; Community High School (Senior), Owode, Ogun State.
Others are Urban Secondary School, Awgu, Enugu State; Goretti Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State to mention a few.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of MMIA, Tincan, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Kaduna, Jigawa, Osun, Yobe, Plateau, Kogi, Imo and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures.
Gen. Marwa noted that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country are well appreciated.
He encouraged them not to relent and continue to intensify ongoing drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
