Eleven members of suspected drug trafficking syndicates have been arrested in connection to seizures of illicit drugs by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, in Ikeja, Lagos, South-West Nigeria.
According to the agency’s spokesman Femi Babafemi, the first suspect, Ofor Chima Chileobi was arrested last Friday while attempting to export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, 200 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 30.20 kilogrammes concealed in 40 sacks of bitter leaf through the SAHCO export shed, at cargo wing of the airport.
On the same day, 10 cartons of khat with a gross weight of 354.600 kilogrammes were also seized at the NAHCO import shed of the airport.
The second suspect Roland Orinami was arrested by NDLEA operatives attached to the local wing of the Lagos airport with 1.90 kilogrammes of Loud, a variant of cannabis, factory packed in some bottles while trying to send same via flight to Abuja.
A follow up operation in Abuja led to the arrest of a taxi driver, Nsikak Evans sent to collect the consignment. His confession also led to the arrest of the actual owner, Adesanya Olakunle Isaac at his house in Life Camp area of Abuja.
Adesanya who claims to be into Information Technology accepted ownership of the seized drug, which he said was meant for an upcoming birthday party of one of his friends.
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Earlier on Tuesday, another freight agent, Moshood Azeez Olaide was arrested at NAHCO export shed of the MMIA when he presented a cargo containing psychotropic substances heading to Dubai. The illegal consignment was packed into other items such as can drinks, liquid bitters and other non-controlled drugs.
The seized drugs include Tramadol 225mg, Rohypnol and MDMA. A follow up operation led to the arrest of another suspect linked to the crime, Olagboye Selim on Friday, May 27.
Also on the same day, operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service at NAHCO import shed transferred 15 cartons of khat leaf with a gross weight of 256.70 kilogrammes, which came into the country on Royal Air Moroc to NDLEA Command at the airport.
The previous day, Monday, May 23, another freight agent, Lasebikan Felix Gbega was arrested with 200 bottles of pentazocine injection, with a brand name “Drutapent” weighing 1.05 kilogrammes. The consignment was heading to the United States of America.
Another agent, Akuta Chioma Lucy was on Thursday, May 26 arrested at the SAHCO export shed while attempting to export 14.75 kilogrammes of khat concealed inside other vegetable leaves and food condiments such as bitter leaf, scent leaf, pepper, all packed in bags for shipment to the United Kingdom.
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a 45-year-old Ezika Ugochukwu Nicholas from Ichida, Anocha area of Anambra state was arrested on Thursday, May 26 for ingesting 60 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.037 kilogrammes on arrival from Addis Ababa on board Ethiopian airline.
Ezika who claims he’s into shoe business before his arrest travelled to Ethiopia on May 23 on the invitation of the person who gave him the drug, which he ingested before returning into the waiting arms of NDLEA officers at the Abuja airport.
In the same vein, efforts by drug cartels to export 4 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in nylon rolls to New Zealand were also frustrated by anti-narcotic officers attached to a courier company in Lagos just as they blocked different quantities of cannabis sativa and Tramadol hidden in soles of slippers from being shipped to Oman through the same firm.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 335,820 tablets of Tramadol, Exol 5, Diazepam and Rohypnol as well as 400 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in bags of vegetables have been intercepted in Abuja in a hummer passenger bus coming from Enugu on Monday, May 30. The bus driver, Augustine James, 35, is currently helping with investigation.
In Imo state, 1,111 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa heading to the Orlu forest, which has become a fortress for non-state actors, was intercepted on Thursday, May 26.
