The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drug traffickers

  • NDLEA nab two for drug trafficking

    NDLEA nab two for drug trafficking

    Two suspects identifed as Chinweuba Echezona, 54, and Louis Ekwueme have been arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly trafficking N39 million worth of cocaine to the country.

    The suspects who came in from Dubai were held at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos with 252 wraps of the substance weighing 4.35kgs.

    According to NDLEA, the suspects who were promised N500,000 each to traffick the drugs into Nigeria ingested some wraps and stuffed others in their luggage but were fished out during screening.

    The agency’s spokesperson, Ofoyeju Mitchell stated that while one of the suspects was a driver, the other was a trader “Both suspects ingested some wraps of drugs and concealed others on their bodies. The estimated value of the drug is thirty-nine million naira (N39, 000,000),” he said.

    Quoting the agency’s Commander at the airport, Ahmed Garba, Ofoyeju said both suspects were under investigation for unlawful importation of cocaine from Dubai.

    He said: “Chinweuba Martins Echezona, 54, packed 103 wraps of cocaine on his waist and ingested 69 wraps weighing 2.745kgs, while Ekwueme Louis, 44, concealed 75 wraps in his luggage and ingested 5 (five) wraps.

    “Preliminary investigation by the agency revealed that the suspects were promised half a million naira each to smuggle the drugs from Dubai to Nigeria.

    “Their trip was fully sponsored by an unidentified drug trafficking organisation. However, efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest their sponsors. Martins (Echezona) is married with five children while Louis is married with three children.”

    Confessing to the crime, Echezona told narcotic investigators that frustration pushed him to it.

    “I am a driver but for some time now I have been out of job. I have been searching for job and my condition is so bad that I could not feed and discharge my responsibilities as a father to my wife and five children.

    “This was the reason I went into drug trafficking because they promise to pay me half a million naira. I did it in order to survive the economic hardship,” he claimed.

    For Ekwueme, poverty was to blame for his involvement in drug trafficking.

    “I used to sell jewelleries but I have lost everything including my shop due to family problem. I feel ashamed that I cannot take care of my family and pay the school fees of my children. My involvement in drug smuggling was due to financial poverty.”

    While directing that their case be investigated speedily, Chairman, NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (rtd) warned drug traffickers to desist as they will meet a brick wall at all exit points.

    “Let me assure members of the public that the NDLEA has taken measures to fortify the exit points in the country. Drug traffickers will find it difficult to break through our security barriers.

    “The ultimate objective is to have a society that is free from illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse. This arrest is being investigated and we hope to trace other persons linked to the crime. The suspects will soon be charged to court,” he said.

  • NDLEA arrests 24 drug traffickers in Bayelsa

    NDLEA arrests 24 drug traffickers in Bayelsa

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Bayelsa State Command, Friday said it arrested 24 suspected drug traffickers in the state.

    The agency said out of the number, 20 suspects were males while four were females.

    The NDLEA spokesman, Mr. Ikenna Osakwe, in a statement on Friday said that the suspects were arrested in March, within the Yenagoa metropolis and on the East-West Road area of Bayelsa.

    Osakwe, a Superintendent of Narcotics and Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs, said during the period, 8.706kg of illicit drugs were seized.

    He said: “It is worthy of note that of the above quantities, Cannabis Sativa and psychotropic substances accounted for a substantial part of the recovered illicit drugs.

    “It is becoming worrisome that adolescents and youths are adopting novel means of substance abuse in our communities which has led to the rise in illegal sale and consumption of psychotropic substances in the state.”

    He called on parents and guardians to increase their vigilance and monitor their children and wards closely at home and in the school.

    He said: “This is to ensure timely intervention where substance abuse is noticed. They are also encouraged to avail themselves of information on latest trends in substance abuse to ensure possible identification where and when it occurs.

    “Irrespective of the fact that criminality is not the exclusive reserve of any sex, it is becoming increasingly regrettable that women who should be home and by extension, nation builders, are becoming more involved in illicit drug dealing. This raises even more concern when the women in question are mothers or expectant mothers.”

    He further called on the State Ministry of Women Affairs and other female rights advocacy groups and organisations to partner with the command to enlighten and sensitize female folks on the dangers of illicit drugs.

    He appealed to the general public to desist from accepting parcels, consignments or luggage from friends and relatives for onward conveyance without consciously and painstakingly evaluating their contents.

    He said investigation revealed that individuals unknowingly become drug couriers for friends and relatives.

    But he said that ignorance of the law was not an excuse and such actions could not only be perceived as carelessness, but even criminal negligence.

    “All well-meaning residents of Bayelsa State are also encouraged to maintain vigilance in their communities and report illegal drug activities to the Command for prompt action,” he said.

  • Fleeing drug traffickers abandon two bullion vans

    Fleeing drug traffickers abandon two bullion vans

    Fleeing contraband and illicit drugs dealers  have abandoned two bullion vans carrying large quantities of Indian hemp (Cannabis Sativa) concealed in bags and parcels.

    The vans, marked FKJ 7318 XQ and LSR 837 XR, were impounded at Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State by officials of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The suspects fled when the NDLEA operatives closed in on them.

    But Ismail Adeeyo, the owner of another van – a Ford bus SMK 707 XF- was arrested at Ilara in Imekon Afon Local Government Area with a brand of Indian hemp classified as “skunk”.

    The NDLEA state Commander, Bala Fagge, spoke to reporters in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    Fagge said it was baffling that drug traffickers had become more innovative.

    “One would have waved on such bullion vans if one had seen them on the road. No one would have thought that bags of Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp) could be hidden inside the vans.

    “The vans were abandoned by drug dealers at Ijebu-Igbo. And in the border area at Ilara, Imeko Afon, we had made about five arrests in one month,” he said.

    He said Adeeyo confessed that the Indian hemp was being conveyed from Republic of Benin, adding that the 38-year-old suspect from Ibadan would be charged to court.

    Fagge added that despite logistics challenges, the command arrested 173 suspects- 161 men and 12 women- and secured 32 convictions in 10 months.

    He said 3,435.168 kilogrammes of Indian hemp and 41.933kg of psychotropic substance were seized during the same period.