The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has stopped several attempts by drug trafficking groups to export methamphetamine and opioids hidden in carton walls, winter jackets and body cream containers through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a courier company in Lagos.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said two drug consignments to Italy were intercepted at the Lagos airport and two suspects linked to them were arrested. One suspect, 37 year old Friday Ehianuka, who lives in Milan, was caught while trying to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome with 2,698 tramadol 225mg pills concealed in body cream containers in his luggage. He confessed he was to be paid in euros if he successfully delivered the drugs.
In another operation at the Lagos airport departure hall, operatives arrested 38 year old Christian Agbonhese, also a Milan resident, who was about to travel on a Lufthansa flight to Milan. After a search of his bags, officers recovered 23,150 tramadol 225mg pills, 4,000 tapentadol 250mg tablets and 1,320 tramadol 100mg pills hidden inside two thick winter jackets, bringing the total opioids seized from him to 28,470 pills.
At a Lagos courier firm, NDLEA officers on Monday intercepted two parcels containing 1kg of Loud, a strong type of cannabis, shipped from the United States and concealed in a carton. They also blocked an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the walls of a carton to New Zealand.
The agency reported similar major seizures in several states. In Kano, operatives arrested 35 year old Abdulkadir Mamuda with 102.5kg of skunk at Dan Tsalle, and on the same day arrested 47 year old Uche Johnson Festus at Naibawa Gabas with 95.5kg of the same substance.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers recovered 21,737 bottles of codeine based syrup from a store at Otto, Ijora, during a raid. They also arrested two men, Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara, on the Third Mainland Bridge with 8,380 bottles of the same cough syrup in their vehicle.
In Edo State, officers recovered 97.5kg of skunk from the home of 37 year old Akeem Idde in Ojah, Akoko Edo Local Government Area. In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada expressway and, after searching the vehicle, found 91,840 tramadol pills hidden in body compartments, leading to the arrest of the 27 year old driver, Aminu Ali.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officers arrested a suspect, Bankole Bari, at Oke Oyan in Ibarapa Local Government Area with 71.2kg of skunk, which he allegedly brought in from Benin Republic through the Oyan River.
Along the Kaduna Zaria highway in Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives recovered 586,000 tramadol and exol 5 pills from 28 year old Lawal Anas. At the same location, they seized 7,290 tramadol 225mg tablets from 22 year old Musa Shuaibu in a separate operation.
In Taraba State, officers acting on credible intelligence arrested 26 year old Aliyu Adamu along the Takum Jalingo highway with 77,660 tramadol capsules he was allegedly transporting to Gombe.
In Adamawa State, six suspects were arrested after NDLEA intercepted a truck in Yola carrying 82.8kg of tramadol. The agency said the consignment belonged jointly to Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Musa Mohammed, Usman Abdulrahim and another Musa Mohammed, who were all arrested in follow up operations.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities across the country. Recent lectures were held at Girls High School in Abakaliki, New State High School in Mushin, Cornerstone Secondary School in Sankwala, Community Secondary School in Ngwo Uno and St John’s Academy in Ipokia, among others.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised officers in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Oyo, the FCT, Taraba and Adamawa for the arrests and seizures. He urged them and other commands nationwide to sustain a balanced approach that combines strong law enforcement with public education in the fight against drug abuse.
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