The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two Brazil returnees, a businesswoman, and several others in nationwide operations that disrupted major drug trafficking attempts.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said 46-year-old Ofoma Sunday was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after a body scan confirmed he had ingested drugs. He later excreted 111 wraps of heroin weighing 1.45kg. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Nweke Jude Chukwudi, who was waiting to receive the drugs at a hotel in Amuwo Odofin.
Another returnee, Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, was arrested at the same airport after arriving from Brazil on September 19. He excreted five wraps of cocaine weighing 145 grams while under observation.
In a separate case, NDLEA operatives arrested businesswoman Okolonkwo Ebere Theresa on September 14 when aviation security officers discovered 1.40kg of methamphetamine concealed in butt pad underwear as she attempted to board a Qatar Airways flight to Doha.
Further interceptions at the Lagos airport included 40 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 2.3kg hidden inside food items bound for Hong Kong, leading to the arrest of 59-year-old Umelo Ifeanyi Venatus. At a courier company in Lagos, officers also discovered 257 grams of cocaine concealed in seven phone chargers destined for New Zealand.
NDLEA operations extended beyond Lagos to several states:
- Adamawa: 233,800 tramadol pills seized in three raids.
- Zamfara: 109 bags of cannabis skunk weighing 1,099kg recovered from a truck, with one suspect arrested.
- Edo: Two cannabis farms covering over four hectares destroyed, capable of yielding 11,000kg; 148kg of processed cannabis also seized, with three arrests made.
- Taraba: 25.5kg of cannabis recovered in Bali LGA.
- Yobe: Two suspects caught with 14,000 tramadol capsules along the Damaturu–Potiskum road.
Alongside enforcement, NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign in schools, religious centres, and communities across Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Benue, and Kano states.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised officers for their commitment, noting that the seizures marked a “significant milestone” in dismantling drug networks and protecting communities from illicit substances.
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