NDLEA operatives recover drugs concealed in winter jackets at Lagos airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday recovered consignments of Tramadol Rohypnol, Ecstasy, and Cannabis concealed in winter jackets and bottles of body cream at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
In a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the substances were recovered at the new terminal of the airport following the arrest of a passenger, Joshia Sunday who was traveling on a Qatar Airline flight via Doha to Oman, Middle East.
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Babafemi explains that the discovery was made after a thorough search of the suspect’s two black bags where 4.80 kilograms of cannabis concealed in the three winter jackets and various quantities of the psychoactive substances hidden in bottles of body lotion.
According to the spokesperson, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect came into Nigeria from Oman on April 7, and was returning exactly a week after.
Also, another arrest was carried out at the Lekki area of Lagos by operatives of the agency.
According to the spokesperson, Cyril Chidiebere, a businessman operating in the area along with two of his freight agents, Mejabi Peter Sunday and Oyeyinka Babatunde were arrested over illicit drugs cargo.
They were apprehended on involvement in the importation of twelve (12) parcels of Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 6.50kg, which was part of a consolidated cargo brought in from the United States of America (USA).
He said the arrest and seizure followed a three-day intelligence-led operation.
The statement reads, “Following the arrival of the cargo at the NAHCO import shed of the MMIA, its movement out of the airport was closely monitored in a sting operation until the actual importer, Cyril Chidiebere, was arrested in his house at Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos.
“Both Mejabi and Chidiebere have made useful statements to confirm that the latter has been involved in dealing on illicit drugs in the past.
“Meanwhile, a pregnant woman, Rabetu Abdulrasak, 24, and a cripple, Shehu Adams have been arrested by NDLEA operatives in Agbede, Etsako West LGA, Edo State while over 14 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including cannabis, methamphetamine, tramadol and swinol were recovered from them on Saturday 15th April.
“A 22-year-old HND 1 female student of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state, Isoyo Iveren Susan was on Saturday 15th April arrested opposite 2nd Gate of the institution for dealing in illicit drugs. Recovered from her include 1,100ML of codeine-based cough syrup and 283grams of cannabis.
“This is just as operatives in Lagos arrested two suspects: Nonso Peter, 21, and Bright Chibike, 23, with 43.4kg cannabis at Ile-Epo, Abule Egba area of the state on Friday 14th April.
“In Katsina State, no less than 1,730 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized from a suspect, Bishir Sa’adu in Katsina metropolis on Sunday 9th April just as Muhamadu Yusuf was equally arrested same day with 8,000 capsules of tramadol inside a commercial bus along Kano – Katsina road.
“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna on Thursday 13th April raided a clandestine laboratory where mist potassium citrate was being produced in a residential apartment at 16 Sabon Gari, Zaria.
“The owner of the lab, Christopher Agodi was arrested and 102 cartons containing 2,448 bottles of the substance recovered. While a suspect, Salisu Abdullahi, 25, was arrested along Abuja-Kaduna road with 11.7kg cannabis concealed in two jerrycans, which he was moving from Port Harcourt to Kano, operatives also on Saturday 15th April nabbed one Atiku Abubakar, 22, on the same road with 50 blocks of cannabis weighing 28kg while travelling from Lagos to Shinkafi in Zamfara state in a commercial bus.
“Similarly, anti-narcotic officers acting on a tip-off, arrested two suspects: Aminu Saudi, 45 and Abdullahi Sani, 35, at Ogbese, Ondo state, with 11 jumbo bags containing 211kg of cannabis concealed in rice chaffs. This was closely followed by the destruction of six hectares of cannabis farm in Uso forest in the state on Thursday 13th April.
“Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Edo, Ogun, Lagos, Katsina, Kaduna and Ondo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week. He urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain focused and continue the current drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts simultaneously.”
