War on Narcotics: NDLEA Intercepts UK-bound Illicit Drugs at Lagos Airport, Arrests 2 Suspects
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in duvet, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The hard substances were packaged for export to the United Kingdom (UK) through the cargo shed of the MMIA.
Consequently, two suspects; Adakole Sunday and Austin Balogun linked to the bid to export the consignment to the UK were promptly arrested following the discovery by NDLEA officers on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to Thelensng by the Director, Media & Advocacy of the Agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi on Sunday.
Babafemi revealed that six (6) parcels of the psychoactive substances with a gross weight of 3.50 kilograms were concealed inside the duvet.
“In his statement, Austin Balogun who is the main agent who hired Adakole, claimed he was paid N700,000 to cargo the consignment to UK but spent a fraction of the money on export handling charges and the bulk to pay for an apartment,” he stated.
In another operation, two suspects – Joseph Oluwasegun Adewale and Biodun Adelakun were arrested at Igbo Olumo, Ikorodu area of Lagos when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout in the community.
Seven (7) litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant, cannabis and opioids, were recovered, and other exhibits seized from the duo include: three locally made double barrel riffles and one locally made double barrel pistol.
Others are one English made pistol; one locally made single barrel riffle; three cartridges and one empty 9mm cartridge as well as an iron-head axe.
In the same vein, another raid in Lagos on Sunday, January 19, led to the seizure of 47kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46kg Nitrous Oxide popularly known as laughing gas at the notorious Akala area of Mushin.
Elsewhere (Ekiti), a suspect, Adepoju Taiwo, 26, was apprehended by the anti-narcotics agency’s officers on Thursday, January 23, with 1.950kg of Canadian Loud at Iworoko road, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
In Kwara, Auwal Sani was nabbed by operatives of the agency on Monday, January 20, at Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area of the State, and a total of 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 36.56kg were recovered from him.
The statement added: “A Nigerien, Abubakar Lami, 45, with two others: Abba Sani, 35, and Auwal Aliyu, 32, were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano, while 13.1kg skunk and 125 litres of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance were recovered from them. In Gefen Kasa, Dawakin Kudu council area of Kano State, a cannabis plantation was located and destroyed by a team of NDLEA officers who arrested a suspect, Sabo Ali Muhammad, 45, linked to the farm.”
However, the Commands of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation lectures and advocacy visits in worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.
The activities include:WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Army Children Secondary School, Oyo, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School, Gwadangwaji, Kebbi State; Government Day Secondary School, Suleja, Niger State; St. Dominic Comprehensive College, Oron, Akwa Ibom State; District Junior College, Agege, Lagos; and residents of Pompomari Community, Damaturu, Yobe 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, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, and Ekiti Commands of the Agency for the successful operations in the past week.
Marwa also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA social advocacy lectures and sensitisation activities in every part of their areas of responsibility.
