The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ahmadu Garba

  • Drug cartel abandons heroin at Lagos airport

    Drug cartel abandons heroin at Lagos airport

    Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have discovered 6.158kg of heroin abandoned at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
    The consignment which originated from Pakistan was left unclaimed on the conveyor belt at the arrival hall during the inward screening of passengers on Etihad Airways flight.

    cannabis hidden in pockects of jeans trouses
    Cannabis hidden in pockets of jeans trousers
    Two suspected drug traffickers were also apprehended at the airport while attempting to smuggle 2.035kg of cocaine concealed in cassava flour to Nairobi, Kenya and 2.485kg of cannabis to Qatar.

    NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba said that the abandoned heroin was hidden inside a bag of clothes.

    “Officers detected 6.158kg of heroin hidden amidst clothes in the abandoned luggage. Oluwasheto Abiodun, a 39-year-old electrician was found in possession of 2.035kg of cocaine while Ibe Divine, 33-year-old welder was caught with 2.485kg of cannabis. Both cases are currently under investigation,” he stated.

    Oluwasheto Abiodun, suspect
    Oluwasheto Abiodun, suspect

    Oluwasheto told officials that he was asked to send the drug to Nairobi by his childhood friend. “I am an electrician based in Lagos. My childhood friend asked me to buy perfumes, sunglasses and shirts for him. After I bought the items, he then called that somebody will give me cassava flour to add and send to Nairobi in Kenya.

     

    However, during the search operation at the airport, two parcels of cocaine weighing 2.035 was hidden inside the flour. This was what led to my arrest. I was only given the sum of three hundred thousand Naira (N300,000) to buy the items, but my action has led me to detention” Oluwasheto who is a single parent lamented. He hails from Ondo State.

    ibe divine
    Ibe Divine

    The second suspect, Ibe Divine who is a welder said in his statement that he wanted to sell the cannabis in Qatar for a high profit. “I am a welder but I have been working in Qatar as a labourer. I bought the cannabis for fifteen thousand Naira (N15,000) in Nigeria with the intention of making a very high profit from it in Doha. In all l had ten parcels of cannabis hidden inside jeans trousers in my luggage. During the search of my luggage, I was arrested after the drug was detected” he stated. Ibe is married with two children and hails from Imo State.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) in his response assured members of the public that the Agency will continue to improve its screening capability in drug detection, arrest and prosecution of drug barons.

    “The NDLEA will continue to wax stronger in counter narcotic operations. We have equally organised a manhunt for the importers of the abandoned heroin and they shall soon be exposed” Abdallah assured.
    The NDLEA boss also called for the support of members of the public with useful information on the activities of drug barons in their communities. The suspects will soon be charged to court.

  • NDLEA makes twin arrest on Nigeria-Brazil route

    NDLEA makes twin arrest on Nigeria-Brazil route

    • As suspects insert cocaine in alimentary canals
    Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos have made a twin arrest on Nigeria-Brazil route.
    The Agency recovered 700 grammes of powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine from two suspects during the inward screening of passengers on a Royal Air Maroc flight  from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Casablanca, Morocco. The suspects inserted seven wraps of cocaine each weighing 350 grammes into their alimentary canals to evade arrest.
    NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba gave the names of the suspects as Okonkwo Francis Okechukwu, 44, and Ifedigbo Chinedu Lucky, 37. “Preliminary investigation revealed that both suspects planned and executed the unlawful act together. They inserted seven wraps of cocaine each into their bodies weighing 350 grammes” the commander stated.
    Okonkwo Francis Okechukwu said that accepting to smuggle drugs due to frustration and as a means of returning from Brazil.
    According to Okonkwo, “I was stranded in Brazil, where I worked as a waiter in a restaurant for two years. Life was awful as I was struggling daily just to feed myself. When I was contacted to smuggle cocaine to Nigeria, I was very happy because it was an opportunity to return home. My sponsor also promised to pay me half a million Naira with which I had planned to start a business”. He is married with two children and hails from Enugu State.
    Ifedigbo Chinedu Lucky who had also spent two years in Brazil described his arrest as ill-luck. “I am a business man. I import female shoes from Brazil since 2014. This arrest is just bad luck for me because I was already calculating my profit from the deal” the 37 year-old suspect stated. He is single and hails from Anambra State.
    Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah said that the Agency will not relent in the fight against drug trafficking. “NDLEA is committed to the fight against narcotic production and trafficking. Brazil is a source country for cocaine and I am glad with the high level of vigilance on the route resulting in several arrests and seizures. It is however sad that the suspects could insert narcotics into their alimentary canals in utter disregard of the health consequences. The suspects will be arraigned soon” Abdallah stated.
  • NDLEA recovers 193 wraps of cocaine in passengers’ socks

    NDLEA recovers 193 wraps of cocaine in passengers’ socks

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos have discovered one hundred and ninety-three (193) wraps of cocaine inside passenger sucks.

    The drug, which tested positive for cocaine with a total weight of 3.4kgs was detected during routine screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai. The suspect who is a commercial bus driver in Lagos has also been arrested.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd,) has called for stringent monitoring of Dubai-Lagos route by officers.

    According to Abdallah, “This is an interesting arrest and I commend the officers for the discovery. Dubai-Lagos route is gradually gaining notoriety and we are monitoring it closely. Let me assure members of the public that the NDLEA is working very hard in preventing illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse in the country.”

    NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba gave the name of the suspect as Maduewesi Ugochukwu Samuel. “During screening of passengers at the arrival hall, officers noticed that he had some items attached to his legs.

    NDLEA co“It was cleverly done, but not good enough to escape our notice. When his socks was pulled down, suspected wraps of narcotics found to be cocaine fell down on the floor. He was immediately arrested and taken for further investigation,” Ahmadu stated.

    The suspect who is a commercial bus driver told narcotic investigators that he wanted to quit driving for supply of electrical appliances.

    “I am a commercial bus driver in Lagos. I am from Anambra State. My friend who lives outside the country introduced me into drug trafficking.

    “He promised to help me with capital to start my business, but after sponsoring my trip to Dubai, he told me to smuggle drugs to Nigeria.

    “I was instructed to conceal the drugs in my socks and that it will not be detected. They also offered to pay me the sum of N800,000 for safe delivery of the drug. I had wanted to start a supply business in electrical appliances but I am regretting my action because my wife is all alone while I am in NDLEA custody.

    “This is her first pregnancy and she needs my attention. This is my greatest concern,” Samuel stated.

    He completed his secondary education in 1998 at Onitsha before coming to Lagos in search of greener pastures.

    The suspect will be charged to court soon.

     

  • NDLEA foils ‘dollar smuggling’ at Lagos airport

    An attempt by a passenger to smuggle 23 wraps containing $34,000 has been foiled by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The suspect, Ozoh Ikenna, was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Brazil, on Friday.

    The dollars were detected during screening of passengers on Etihad Airways flight to Abu Dhabi.

    The money was packed in wraps similar to narcotics and concealed in his boxer shorts.

    The NDLEA airport commander, Ahmadu Garba, said the arrest was facilitated with the aid of a scanning machine.

    “The wraps of dollars found on Ozoh Ikenna were detected with the aid of a scanning machine. We also conducted a follow-up operation where one Ogbo Emmanuel who gave Ozoh the $34,000 dollars was arrested,” the commander stated.

    Investigations conducted by the Assets and Financial Investigation directorate headed by Mrs. Victoria Egbase revealed that the suspects are involved in the laundering of substantial amount of illicit drug proceeds.

    Egbase said, “We were able to trace over N226, 000,000 to one bank account belonging to the second suspect, Ogbo Emmanuel. The account name is Eternal God International Limited.”