…as NDLEA nabs two ladies for producing drug laced cakes for students
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a 61-year-old drug kingpin and Lagos socialite, Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, popularly known as “Iya Ruka,” in her mansion at Okota, Lagos, on New Year’s Day.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday.
Alhaja Ajoke, whose identity had remained concealed for years, has been on the NDLEA’s wanted list for allegedly leading a notorious drug cartel operating in the Mushin area of Lagos.
Her capture followed the interception of a truckload of illicit drugs transported by one of her staff.
Babafemi revealed that NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, intercepted a white Isuzu truck on January 1, 2025.
The vehicle, driven by 41-year-old Abideen Adio, was found carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis.
The arrest was finalized when operatives stormed Alhaja Ajoke’s residence at 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, off Ago Palace Way, Okota, leading to her apprehension.
The statement reads, “On the surface, Alhaja Ajoke is a businesswoman who imports fabrics and shoes from China but beneath is a massive illicit drug trade. She is also recognized as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of society women in Lagos.”
Babafemi said in another major operation, NDLEA officers on Friday 27th December 2024 arrested a US-trained Hollywood and Nollywood filmmaker, Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe, who is also a motivational speaker at his Lekki Hotel room.
This, the spokesman said, followed the arrest of Mbadiwe’s partner, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, earlier same day at a warehouse in Ajao estate Ikeja, where he was sent by Mbadiwe to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis.
Babafemi said the drugs weighing 17.30 kilograms, arrived the Import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja on 24th December 2024 from the United States on a Delta Airline flight, concealed in large wooden boxes.
The statement reads, “In Kwara state, a fresh graduate Khadijat Abdulraheem, 24, and a 20-year-old student of the University of Ilorin, Ayomide Morakinyo were on Sunday 29th December 2024 arrested by NDLEA operatives at Tanke-University of Ilorin road, Oke Odo, Ilorin based on credible intelligence that they were producing and selling drug laced cupcakes to students in the community. When their apartment was searched, 42 pieces of drugged cakes were recovered from them.
“An ex-convict, Sodade Sunday Eniola, who was arrested by operatives of the Tincan Command of NDLEA in June, 2024, for drug trafficking, prosecuted and sentenced to four years in prison has been arrested again by officers of the MMIA Strategic Command of the Agency for passport racketeering. When he was convicted by a Federal High Court in Lagos on 14th June 2024, the trial judge gave him an option of paying N750,000 fine, which he paid and was let go.
“However, in series of operations in December 2024, NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted no fewer than 52 passports of different countries from shipments going to Canada, Russia, and other countries concealed in shoe soles and food items. Further investigations led to the arrest of four members of three syndicates involved in the racket.
“The arrested suspects include: Sodade Sunday Eniola; Ayinde Saheed Awwal; Salaudeen Afeez Ayode; and Sheriff Adebayo Bamigbade. Both the exhibits and the suspects were on Monday 30th December 2024 handed over to the Zonal Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Lagos for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“Not less than 316, 800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers by NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne Rivers state during a joint examination of the shipments with men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies on Tuesday 31st December 2024. The seizure followed credible intelligence processed by the Port Harcourt Port Command of the Agency.
“In Kano, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 31st December 2024 raided Mafarki, Dan Dishe area of Dala LG where they recovered 149, 090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a local dealer, 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad.
“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to traders at Ido-Osi Central Market, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti state; and Muslim faithful during their Juma’at prayer at Birnin Kudu central mosque, Jigawa state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, PHPC and Kwara Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.”
•Two boats loaded with illicit drug consignments intercepted at Eleko Beach, Lagos •Six Ghanaians, Beninoise arrested
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA), on his way to Paris, France for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who broke the news yesterday, said Orizu was arrested at the boarding gate of the Abuja airport on December 22 during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France.
Babafemi said when the suspect was pulled aside for a scan, he turned down the request, citing his medical condition.
According to the statement, Orizu was held for observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over seven days.
Babafemi said Orizu claimed he owns a shop at Balogun market, Lagos Island where he sells school and travelling bags.
The suspect, in his statement, said he was promised 3,000 Euros upon the delivery of the consignment in Paris.
The suspect had left his base in Lagos for the Abuja airport to connect his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection, Babafemi said.
According to the statement, operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA at 2:30am on Christmas eve, also intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilogrammes of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko beach in Lekki area of Lagos.
Babafemi said six foreign nationals who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested.
They include two Ghanaians: Godsway John, 38; and Freedom Kelvin, 33; as well as four Beninese: Chegoun Hounsou, 23; Gadabor Nyameto, 47; Adantg Sasa, 34; and Ayao Kayivi, 21.
The statement reads: “In Katsina, a suspect Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested in possession of 40 album-size parcels of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 35kg on Christmas day 25th December at Central Motor Park, Katsina, while another suspect Umar Ahmed, 47, was nabbed along Zaria-Malumfashi road, Katsina with 27 parcels of same psychoactive substance weighing 13.5kg on Saturday 28th December.
“A 21-year-old suspect Kosisochukwu Ozigbo was arrested at new Lagos road Benin City, Edo State when the area was raided on Monday 23rd December by NDLEA operatives. Recovered from the suspect include: 32,490 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg; 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup and various quantities of other opioids.’’
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), while commending the officers for a good job, urged them to continue to work harder.
A robustly intelligence-driven approach to the fight against drug abuse has led to a 90 percent conviction rate for drug offenders, the highest in the world, NICHOLAS KALU reports:
According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), it has recorded over 90 percent success in conviction rate of drug offenders it has charged to court since the present administration of the present chairman, Buba Marwa took over in January 2021.
Backing this audacious claim, the Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, provided data that indicated that over 9, 000 convictions have been recorded since Marwa took over. According to the Agency’s Spokesman, this was the highest conviction rate anywhere in the world. He disclosed that at the moment, they have more than 12,000 offenders being prosecuted.
“The cases are going on in the courts, more than 12,000. They are at various levels of litigation with most of them reaching an advanced stage. In the last three years, we’ve had 52, 901 arrests, including 51 drug barons within the period. Within the same period, we had 9,034 convictions. And from these cases, we’ve recovered over 8,608,516.305 kilograms of asserted illicit drugs. That’s 8,608 tons of illicit drugs. We have destroyed cannabis farms well over 1, 100 hectares within the same time frame.
“Again within the same period, we had 33,453 drug users counseled and rehabilitated. Again don’t forget that there’s this War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy initiative to mobilise citizens to create awareness and enlighten people in schools, workplaces, communities, out of school children and all of them on the dangers of abusing illicit substances.
“And within the same three years, we’ve had 6, 423 of those awareness lectures, sensitisation programmes in schools, workplaces, churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, and communities,” he said.
Further data obtained from the Agency indicated that from January to July 2024, the Agency has arrested 10, 049 offenders. Out of this number, 2, 969 are being charged to court and 2, 237 have been convicted.
Also under the period, 881, 311 kg of various illicit drugs were seized, while the Agency counselled 4, 191 persons and rehabilitated 701.
A robust intelligence-driven approach
What is responsible for this high rate of success, especially in terms of convictions, Babafemi says, is a robust intelligence driven approach that ensures all the work is done, such that culprits are always caught red-handed.
“Yes, in our cases, they are usually watertight because the suspects are usually arrested with the exhibits. So it’s not a matter of you arresting somebody and he’s able to deny anything. So more often than not, you see these people when they are faced with the law, they have no option but to admit guilt. And that’s why you hardly find our cases being taken to appeal. Most of our cases usually end at a trial court because it’s not what they can deny. They were arrested red-handed with the exhibit. So that’s responsible and what it means is that quite a lot of effort has been put into the process leading to the arrests and seizures. So the arrest and seizures are towards the end of the chain.
“That’s why the chairman and chief executive of the agency often says that our operations are 100% intelligence-led. It means we would have done quite a lot of work in the background leading to the arrest and seizure, which is just the end of it. So that’s why it’s pretty difficult.
“Even the big shots, the drug barons that have been on the run for years, we are now arresting them because of the intelligence capability and capacity of the agency at the moment. So we are able to combine a lot of intelligence and financial investigation mechanisms to be able to track and pin these people down.
“Just last week or two weeks ago, (we nabbed) a man that was one of the drug kingpins in Lagos called Na God. He had been wanted for a while, and for him to conduct a financial transaction, he had to leave his domain in Lagos to go Ogun State to go and do it. Unknown to him however, we’re tracking him. And so that was how we were able to pick him in the banking hall. That shows you quite a lot of what we are doing. I’m sure you’ll be surprised by it. He must have wondered how we got him in Ogun.
“So that’s how the agency has been able to combine both intelligence and financial investigation capability to be able to pin down some of these, especially the drug barons who have built a lot of shields around themselves over the years. All of those shields are now being cracked and falling apart because of the agency’s capability and the capacity to unravel them.
‘Agency leadership key in new drive to tackle drug abuse’
So what is the main difference between now and before when the Agency was characterised by lethargy, where hardly any positive results were recorded in the fight against drug abuse?
Babafemi said the leadership of the Agency today has been the key instrument in the successes recorded so far in galvanising human and material resources, as well as building networks within and outside of the country.
“All of these have worked to really help the agency in revitalising its operations and work ethics. I can tell you that the leadership has been of a significant impact on the work culture of the agency.
“Again the agency, through the capacity of his leadership, has been able to largely build a lot of partnership and relationships with international organisations, like the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in the US State Department, the National Crime Agency in the UK, the Border Force in the UK, as well as the French police, the German police and our counterparts in India, Saudi, the UAE and across the world.
“So all of these partnerships have been built and strengthened to the point that there is that confidence, there is that mutual respect for us to share intelligence and for them to share with us as well.
“Also, there has been quite a lot of support from these organisations in terms of training, in terms of some logistics. All of these have impacted and we must also not lose, we cannot lose sight of the support the agency has received from the home front, talking of the government of Nigeria. I’ll tell you that more than ever before the government of Nigeria has supported the agency, especially at the highest level. Right from the presidency; the president himself is in support of this fight against the drug scourge and so has thrown his weight to support the agency.
“Even at the level of legislation; recently we had the National Assembly proposing a state of emergency and even proposing a death penalty for drug traffickers. All of these are actions that show that indeed they are aware of the problem and they are supporting the agency. Talking of the judiciary, I mean, those number of convictions couldn’t have been possible if not for their collaboration and understanding of the issue.
“Beyond that, the civil society, the non-governmental organisations, the faith-based organisations, the community-based organisations, have all coalesced into a strong partnership that has enabled the agency to be able to confront the drug scourge.
“We’re not yet there but then the process is moving so fast and we’re getting results and they’re making a lot of gains.
How relationship with sister security agencies have fared
Babafemi also stated that the Agency has enjoyed a robust relationship with sister security agencies, which has also accounted for the results it has been getting.
“The same way we have built and strengthened our partnership with our international partners; more than that, we have also done excellently well in that regard with our local stakeholders, talking of the military, talking of the Nigerian Customs, the Nigerian Police, the Civil Defense, the NFIU, the Road Safety, NAFDAC and everybody.
“This is a collective thing. The agency has deployed what is called a whole of government and a whole of society approach. That’s to carry everybody within the government structure along, get them involved. And that’s why we have a body called the Inter Ministerial Committee, IMC, which is the coordinating body of all the stakeholders; that is government stakeholders and the civil society involved.
“That’s why you would have seen again a partnership with the state governments to get state drug control committees, even with the first ladies in those states. We’ve trained them, sensitised them to know about and get their buy-in to support all of these.
“For instance, because of our partnership with local stakeholders, let me start with the case of Customs where we have a good working relationship at the ports where some huge consignments come in. If we don’t have that working relationship, more often than not, a lot of imported containers which are processed by the Customs for clearing, would have been smuggled in by the drug cartels.
Over N50b worth of seizures in one month
Babafemi said with the last one month the agency had intercepted 68 million pills of opiates a d over a million bottles of codeine with over N50 billion at the Tincan and Port Harcourt Ports in Lagos and Rivers State respectively.
Just imagine the last one month alone we had more than 68 million pills of opiates brought into the country.
“Let me state specifically, in the last one month we had a total of 68,138,000 pills of Tramadol brought in, imported into the country. And in addition to that, 1,068,253 bottles of codeine syrup.
“All of those were seized within the space of the last 30 days at Tincan in Lagos and Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne. Just imagine, those are items, substances worth well over 50 billion naira. That’s a lot of items. So these are instances where the partnership has really worked. Ultimately, Nigeria, Nigerians, and humanity are the beneficiaries
“These are millions of opioids being brought into the country, worth billions of naira. They are not to be consumed by animals. They were meant to be consumed by our people. You know, the kind of damage, the extent of damage that would have caused to the health of our young people and to the public health at large,” he said.
Drug cartels using other neighbouring countries
Babafemi noted that cartels were getting desperate and seeking for other means to ply their illicit trade as the Agency continued to sustain the heat in the fight against substance abuse.
He said, “I’ll tell you again, because of the activities of the agency, quite a number of these drug cartels are running away from sending their illicit substances directly to Nigeria.
“So what some of them have chosen to do is to go and warehouse those things in some neighbouring countries and then try to bring them in the bits but already we’re ahead of them again in that regard and that’s why we have also strengthened our presence and the border entry points.
“That’s why we’ve also made quite a lot of seizures in those places. So head or tail, it’s an effort that is really, really yielding a lot of results.
“What we do is not hearsay. They are always backed with evidence. Our operations are evidence based and intelligence led.
These cases are compiled. They have physical evidence. They are things anybody can go and verify anywhere. The cases are going on in court and anybody can go and verify.
“For anybody that is arrested usually, apart from those that we consider who need help or treatment, but then everybody has their day in court. So that’s why we have that volume of convictions and ongoing cases in the courts.
What happens to seizures made by the NDLEA
According to the Agency, drugs that are seized are usually put together and destroyed after a successful prosecution.
“At the end of the prosecution of such cases, the court gives an order for the destruction of those drugs. These are open things and anybody can check. If you Google it you’ll see the pictures and videos. There is hardly any such public destruction or burning of exhibits that are done in secrecy.
“They are done publicly with local and international stakeholders present to witness, including the media. So they are usually destroyed because they have no secondary value. You can’t use them for any other thing because they are already processed. And they are not things that anybody can toy with because there are quite a lot of processes and mechanisms in place to ensure the integrity of the process.
“They are definitely destroyed and they are done publicly for the people to witness and see the end result. We ensure the resources of the cartels go up in flames, which is the message to them. We go after their money. It’s a message that their money, everything you have amassed is all going up in flames,” he said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has thwarted attempts by drug syndicates to export large consignments of cocaine, methamphetamine and opioids through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey and Qatar.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sundays, said the masterminds were also arrested following the intelligence led operations.
Babafemi said a total of 13 parcels of cocaine weighing 4.40kg cocaine going to the United Kingdom via Frankfurt on a Lufthansa Airlines flight were intercepted by NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Lagos airport on 5th November 2024 while a businessman linked to the consignment, Ekeocha Anayo Nelson, was tracked and arrested on 8th November.
He said the bid by another businessman, Adegbite Solomon (aka Obama) to export 7,800 pills of tramadol, 180 tablets of rohypnol, and 60 bottles of codeine to Italy was also foiled at the departure hall of the Lagos airport on Monday 11th November when NDLEA operatives arrested him after recovering the opioids concealed in food and other items while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy.
According to the statement, the suspect claimed to have travelled to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea and earned a living as a street beggar before delving into logistics business.
It indicated that another businessman, Anoke Kingsley Roomy was arrested with 1,100 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in his luggage while attempting to board his Ethiopian Airlines flight going to Istanbul, Turkey at the terminal 1 of the Lagos airport on Friday 15th November.
Babafemi said following credible intelligence, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, and their counterparts from the FCT Command of the Agency on Friday 15th November raided a hotel room at the Federal Housing Authority estate, Lugbe, Abuja, where they arrested two suspects: Omeh Uchenna Jude, 36, and Anene Valentine Chigozie, 34.
Recovered from them was 1.8kg methamphetamine, which they were preparing to travel with to Qatar, he said.
He added that another suspect, Akande Moruf Olasunkanmi, was arrested with 1.8kg methamphetamine by operatives of a Special Operations Unit in NDLEA at his 9 Durojaiye street, Lawanson area of Surulere, Lagos home after weeks of intelligence and surveillance.
“In another intelligence led operation, officers of an NDLEA task force on Saturday 16th November foiled the attempt by a trans-border trafficker, Emmanuel Okechukwu Okeke to smuggle 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from Ghana into Lagos. The pills were concealed in the body compartments of a Toyota Hummer Bus belonging to GUO Transport Company, driven by the suspect. The vehicle was intercepted at Ijanikin area of the Lagos-Badagry expressway while coming from Ghana.
“In Edo state, not less than 997kg cannabis was recovered during raids in parts of the state. While 680kg cannabis and a Sienna bus marked FST-320 AE were seized at a bush path to Oghada forest in Oghada, Orhionmwan LGA, 180.5kg of same substance was recovered from a suspect, Cecilia Ibe, 31, at Ofosu forest, Ovia South West LGA and 136.5kg evacuated from a building in Otuo community, Owan East LGA on Thursday 14th November.
“A suspect, Ifejimagha Chinonso was on Wednesday 13th November nabbed with 88.3kg cannabis by NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway while personnel of Kano Command of the Agency on Friday 15th November arrested Ahmed Goni, 30, at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano- Zaria road where they recovered from him 65,730 capsules of tramadol.
“In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect Adio Sulaiman with 120.8kg cannabis and some litres of codeine at Gaa Odota in Ilorin West LGA, while Kelechi Obichere, 42, was nabbed with 75kg cannabis at Eziobodo, Owerri West LGA, Imo state on Thursday 14th November. A total of 563.74 kilograms of same psychoactive substance were recovered from a 60-year-old suspect Anthony Anakabi, following his arrest at Iyalode, Iyana church area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Government Day Secondary School, Bazza, Adamawa; Community Secondary School, Ogan-Ama, Rivers state; NKST Secondary School, Adikpo, Benue state; Government Secondary School, Tambuwal, Sokoto state; Government Girls Secondary School, Kunchi, Kano; Ebele Chu Group of Schools, Nkpor Onitsha, Anambra; and Army Cantonment Senior Boys High School, Ojo, Lagos state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, DI, Oyo, Lagos, Imo, Kwara, Kano, and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated,” the statement reads
After months of intelligence gathering and painstaking surveillance, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have smashed two major cross-border drug trafficking syndicates with cocaine and opioids worth billions of naira recovered from them while six leaders of the cartels were arrested in different parts of the country.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement yesterday.
Babafemi said the syndicates, which comprise Nigerians based in Mubi, Adamawa state; Onitsha, Anambra state, and Lagos state as well as Cameroonians came under NDLEA radar after they were suspected of being major suppliers of drugs to terror groups operating in Nigeria and Cameroon.
He said: “Leaders of the syndicates so far arrested include: Ibrahim Bawuro, Najib Ibrahim, Ibrahim Umar, Nelson Udechukwu Anayo, Ezeh Amaechi Martin and Adejumo Elijah Ishola.
…NDLEA intercepts over N7b worth of opioids at Apapa, Onne seaports
Two businessmen, Ihejirika Okechukwu Emmanuel, and Iwuagwu Ikedi Victory, along with a Canada-based nurse, Usman Grace Khadijat Olami, have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
They were apprehended for attempting to smuggle cocaine pellets and parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, through the airport.
This was disclosed in a statement by the NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
According to the statement, Ihejirika, a frequent traveler to Thailand who claims to import fish into Nigeria, was arrested on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, while trying to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Thailand via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A body scan revealed that he had ingested cocaine.
“As a result, he was placed under excretion observation during which he expelled five big egg size wraps of cocaine weighing 400 grams. In his statement, the 51-year-old suspect confessed that he was to be paid upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Thailand. He said he needed the money to boost his fish importation business,” Babafemi said
Babafemi said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport on Thursday 17th October intercepted a 26-year-old businessman Iwuagwu Ikedi Victory coming from Brazil via Addis Ababa during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
According to the statement, the suspect’s body scan revealed ingestion of illicit drugs.
When he was put under observation, he excreted a pellet of cocaine weighing 22 grams, the statement indicated.
“He however confessed that he ingested 30 wraps of the illicit drug in Brazil but excreted 29 pellets in Addis Ababa, where he handed them over to another person. The suspect revealed that he was to be paid N2.5 million for trafficking the drug,” it reads.
Babafemi added that a Nigerian Canadian nurse Usman Grace Khadijat Olami was on 4th October arrested by NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of Air France passengers from Toronto, Canada via Paris.
He said during a search of her luggage, a total of 70 parcels of Canadian Loud, weighing 35.70kg were recovered from her.
According to the statement, during her interview, she claimed she was in Nigeria to meet her boyfriend who instructed her to come with the large consignment of the highly sought-after synthetic cannabis.
The statement reads: “At the seaports, while a total of 162,351 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted from two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos by NDLEA operatives during a joint examination of two containers with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies on Tuesday 15th October, not less than Seven Million Two Hundred Thousand (7,200,000) pills of Royal 225mg Tapentadol and Carisoprodol worth Three Billion Six Hundred Million Naira (N3,600,000,000) in street value were seized from a watch-listed container from India at Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers state on Tuesday 15th October.
“In the same container, 780 cartons of chlorphenamine containing Fifteen Million Six Hundred Thousand (15,600,000) pills of the opioid, were also recovered. From two other watch-listed containers equally searched at the port in Onne, a total of 337,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth two billion three hundred and fifty-nine million naira (N2,359,000,000) were recovered from them on Tuesday 15th and Thursday 17th October. This brings the total value of the seized Tapentadol, Carisoprodol, and Codeine consignments at the two seaports to Seven Billion Ninety-Five Million Four Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand Naira (N7,095,457,000).
“In Bauchi state, a suspect Sunday Jonathan Ogenyi, 33, was arrested along Bauchi-Jos road with 76,600 pills of tramadol concealed in false compartments of his Toyota Sienna vehicle marked Enugu JRV 341 ZY, while NDLEA operatives in Ondo state on Tuesday 15th October arrested three suspects: Goddey Obizuo; Samuel Aniete; and Kuffrey Aniete at Afo village where 672kg cannabis sativa was seized from them.
A raid at Illushi forest in Esan South East LGA, Edo state led to the destruction of 10,590.36kg cannabis spread on 4.236144 hectares of farmland. Suspects arrested during the operation include Benson Upuoni, 65; and Sunday Nwaeboyi, 35.
“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 15th October arrested Andrew Joseph Anoriode with 3kg methamphetamine and 1.90kg cannabis along Lagos – Ibadan expressway while 241kg of same substance was recovered at Gbaji, Badagry area of the state. A suspected meth cook, Agbeiboh Oscar, was nabbed the same Tuesday at Abule Osun with 265 grams of methamphetamine and different quantities of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of methamphetamine and others.
“With the same vigour, Commands, and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Ansarudeen Senior High School, Saki, Oyo State; Government Secondary School, Hayin Gwarmai, Bebeji LGA, Kano; Margaret Ekpo Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Agbaju Unuhu Community Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; and WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Muhammad Kawu Kudu, Kwara state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, PHPC, Apapa, Lagos, Bauchi, Ondo, and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.”
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said its men had arrested two travellers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos with cocaine and heroin.
Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju,spokesperson of the NDLEA, said in a statement in Lagos that one of the suspected drug traffickers hid cocaine in his boxer shorts and his luggage, while the other ingested heroin.
Ofoyeju said that one of them claimed to be an importer of jewellery,while the other said he was an auto parts dealer.
The NDLEA spokesperson said that cocaine, weighing 750 grammes, was found with the jewellery importer, while the auto parts dealer ingested 94 wraps of heroin, weighing 1.595kg.
According to him, this is one of the largest quantities of drugs ingested by a suspect at the Lagos airport in recent times.
“The suspects, who arrived from Brazil and Uganda with cocaine and heroin respectively are currently being interrogated for illegally importing narcotics into the country,” he said.
Ofoyeju quoted the NDLEA Chairman, Mr Muhammad Abdallah, as saying that the agency would continue to foil the plans of drug traffickers to make money illegally.
“NDLEA is working very hard to intercept drugs at all entry points and also arrest every trafficker.
“Those that intend to enrich themselves with proceeds of drugs will end up in detention.
“The arrests validate our resolve to address the problem of drug trafficking in the country, while the suspects will soon be charged to court,” he quoted Abdallah as saying.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has arrested a man with parcels of methamphetamine (an addictive stimulant) valued at N31 million at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said the suspect was arrested during outward screening of passengers on a South African Airline flight to Johannesburg.
“The parcels of drug tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 3.435 kg with a street value of N31 million,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the agency as saying in the statement.
“The drug was detected during a routine check on a passenger on South African Airline flight to South Africa.
“Two bags belonging to a man (names withheld) a 45-year-old, were found to contain parcels of methamphetamine.
“Inside the bags were food items, ingredients and clothes, but underneath were a thin parcel of narcotics carefully concealed.
“He was immediately arrested, investigation is ongoing,’’ the agency said.
NDLEA said the suspect, who resides in South Africa, claimed that the bags were given to him by a friend.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA Chairman, Mr Muhammad Abdallah, has warned members of the public to beware of new tricks employed by drug trafficking cartels.
“Drug traffickers recruit mules by enticing them with money.
“They are very clever in concealing drugs, the agency now detects drugs in bags, electronics, foodstuff and clothes among others.
“We strongly advise that all passengers should endeavour to pack their bags themselves and avoid taking bags for others.
“Ignorance is no excuse in drug trafficking. The suspect will be charged with unlawful exportation of narcotics,’’ Abdallah said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Malian and four Nigerians for allegedly dealing in the sale of 4,580kgs of psychotropic drugs in Kano.
The seized drugs comprising 2,592kgs of codeine cough syrups and 1,988kgs of tramadol were recovered from five secret warehouses located within the metropolis by officers of the Kano State command. This arrest is part of efforts to reduce the sale of and demand for psychotropic substances in the State.
The State commander of the NDLEA, Mr Hamza Umar gave the names of the suspects as Ikechukwu Ukwuoma, 34 years old arrested with 2,010kgs of codeine cough syrups; Nura Ibrahim, 30 years old caught with 886kgs of tramadol and Zakari Muhammadi, a Malian found with 850kgs of tramadol.
Others are Earnest Asogwa, 34 years caught with 582kgs of codeine syrup and Ikenna Osuizugba, 34 years old found in possession of 252kgs of tramadol. The arrests and seizures were made following intelligence report on the illicit drug activities of the suspects.
“The abuse of psychotropic drugs like codeine cough syrups and tramadol is prevalent among young people and married women in the State. It is common to see iced bottles of codeine cough syrup instead of beverage drinks in a gathering of young people” Hamza stated.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) said that the Agency is working hard to intensify its sensitization programmes in the State.
“The NDLEA is working assiduously to boost the sensitization efforts of the State command. We are getting more families, schools, community groups and the media involved in this enlightenment programme. This is one important way of reducing the demand and supply for both codeine cough syrup and tramadol tablet taken by youths. The Agency will continue to do its best in protecting the health and future of our youths” Abdallah stated.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra says it has arrested a 31-year-old man, Vincent Chidiebere, for allegedly peddling hard drug worth N1.78 billion.
Addressing newsmen in Onitsha on Tuesday, the Commander of NDLEA in the state, Mr Sule Momodu, said that the suspect was arrested in Awka on July 28 with methamphetamine weighing 25.2kg.
Momodu said that the arrest followed a tip-off that a shipment of methamphetamine would pass through Anambra from Enugu to Lagos.
“Based on the information, we were able to set up a team to search certain vehicles from a particular company.
“At about 11a.m. same day, we were able to intercept the vehicle carrying the substance and arrested the suspec.”
Momodu, who said the substance tested positive, described the substance as “one of the most potent illicit drugs in the world which has a lot of destructive tendencies on the user.”
According to him, someone under the influence of such drug can be influenced to make disastrous decisions and can make criminals test the nation’s security to its limit.
The commander said besides the security threat posed by the users, the drug posed a health hazard in the community where it is
He said the chemicals used for the production were highly toxic and could cause permanent destruction to the eco-system.
“The waste from the drug is more toxic than the extracted substance.
“The people around where it is being produced are likely to be exposed to cancer and other incurable diseases while children that are also born in the area are likely to be deformed.”
Momodu, who expressed the readiness of the agency to fight illicit drug production and peddling in the state, urged the public to volunteer information that could help stop the illicit business.
Although, the agency had discovered three methamphetamine laboratories located at Nanka, Ozubulu and Obosi areas of the state, the commander also expressed the belief that more laboratories still exist.
He reminded the public that Gov. Willie Obiano had pledged a reward of N500, 000 to anyone with information on where the substances were being produced within the state.
“Most of the methamphetamine being produced are destined for Asian countries,” he said, adding that a kilogramme of methamphetamine was sold at about 150, 000 dollars.
Momodu said that the suspect would be arraigned when investigation was completed.
