By Seun Ibiyemi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, with 1.55kg of cocaine concealed in the walls and railings of his travelling bag at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Nwankwo, a marble dealer in Lagos, was arrested at Terminal II while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
According to the NDLEA, the cocaine was factory-fitted into the structure of his check-in bag in an attempt to evade detection.
The agency said the suspect confessed that he had sold his marble business and other assets to raise N23 million to purchase the consignment, hoping to sell it in India for about N100 million.
He is currently in NDLEA custody and is expected to face prosecution.
In another major operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse located within a residential compound at Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace, Okota, where they recovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
The controlled substance, recovered between August 7 and 8, was valued at more than N2.6 billion, according to the agency.
The NDLEA also reported the arrest of a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, following a raid on his residence at Ipaja Estate, Lagos.
Operatives recovered 324kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at approximately N972 million, alongside a Mercedes-Benz and Toyota Corolla cars.
In Kwara State, NDLEA officers arrested Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, at Kam Wire area of Ilorin with 55.96kg of skunk concealed in a truck.
Two other suspects, 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, were arrested along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State.
The agency recovered 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection from their Toyota Sienna.
In another operation along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, NDLEA operatives arrested Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, with 124,100 tramadol pills, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol.
The agency also arrested Emeka Tony, 50, along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway, where officers recovered 1,244 cartridges and N8 million in cash.
In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. A suspect identified as Kasum Sherif was arrested.
Kano State also recorded significant seizures, with six suspects arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road.
The agency said officers recovered 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol and other opioids, 360g of cocaine, 99.8g of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7kg of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain.
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In a separate operation at Zawaciki Gida Dubu in Kumbotso Local Government Area, Kano, NDLEA operatives recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg and arrested two suspects, Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24.
In Edo State, NDLEA officers destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms covering 1.85 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
A 40-year-old suspect, Agholor Elebojie, was arrested during the operation.
Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested during a raid on drug joints in the Oluku area of Benin City, where 25.857kg of Loud and 93g of methamphetamine were recovered.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns continued across the country during the week.
The agency said sensitisation lectures were delivered to students and staff of Madarasatu Sheikh Muhammad Rabi’u Arabic School in Kano and Olomu Junior Secondary School in Ajah, Lagos, among other institutions.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended personnel of the MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta Commands for the seizures and arrests.
Marwa also praised officers across other commands for maintaining what he described as a balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
