The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 52-year-old businessman, Ejiofor Godwin Emeka, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, for attempting to smuggle cocaine into Nigeria.
Ejiofor, who runs boutiques in Lagos and Onitsha, was nabbed on arrival from Bangkok, Thailand, on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on October 8. A body scan revealed he had ingested illicit drugs and concealed more in his private part.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, operatives immediately recovered 58 wraps from his underwear, before placing him under observation. Over the next seven excretions, he passed out 69 additional pellets, bringing the total to 127 wraps weighing 1.388kg.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted three consignments bound for the UK at courier firms. They included 1.74kg of methamphetamine hidden in glass ceramics, pentazocine and tramadol injections concealed in containers, and tramadol capsules stashed in Vitamin C bottles.
Other foiled shipments included:
2.6kg skunk and 422g tapentadol disguised as black soap tablets bound for Turkey;
169g cocaine hidden in handbags heading to Australia;
568g Loud (a strong cannabis strain) concealed in herbal containers destined for the UAE.
At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), operatives also seized 27,510 pills of rohypnol concealed in alcoholic sachets bound for South Africa. The mastermind, Samuel Omoruyi (alias Yellow), 46, was arrested in Oyingbo Market, Lagos.
Edo: NDLEA recovered 47kg skunk at a suspect’s home in Ugbekpe Ekperi, while two others were arrested with 244.5kg cannabis in Igbanke.
Osun: Two suspects were caught transporting 635kg skunk in a Toyota Hiace bus; another duo was nabbed with 100kg cannabis on a motorcycle.
Rivers: Two suspects arrested in Port Harcourt with 8.5kg skunk.
Katsina: 29.5kg cannabis seized from a house in Bayan Asiti, Jibia.
Niger: A 29-year-old suspect caught with 22,000 tramadol capsules, 800 pentazocine ampoules, and 150,000 Exol-5 pills in New Bussa.
Ondo: Patrol operatives seized 312kg cannabis in Ologede camp.
Kaduna: A courier, Rufai Ahmed (alias Farin Malam), intercepted at Abuja/Kaduna toll gate with 150,000 Exol-5 pills.
In another bust, Italy-based businessman Enehizena Augustine Uyimwen was caught trying to export 3,700 tramadol pills and 2,600 tapentadol tablets concealed in food items to Europe. He confessed he was paid €945 for the job.
Alongside the raids, NDLEA expanded its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programme to schools, churches, mosques, and workplaces in states including Adamawa, Ebonyi, Katsina, Enugu, Niger, Kogi, Anambra, Rivers, Kano, and Osun.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), praised the operatives across the commands for their “tenacity, professionalism and balanced approach”, urging them to sustain the momentum against drug cartels.
