By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.550 kilogrammes of cocaine to India.
The suspect, who deals in marbles in Lagos, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II of the airport while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi.
According to the NDLEA, the cocaine was cleverly concealed in the side walls and railings of his check-in bag.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the suspect had confessed to selling his business and other assets to finance the drug deal.
“Babafemi said Onyebuchi confessed that he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the N23 million he paid for the consignment,” the statement said.
He added that the suspect expected to sell the cocaine for as much as N100 million in India, a plan that was thwarted by his arrest at the Lagos airport.
Babafemi said the arrest was part of a series of intelligence-led operations conducted by NDLEA operatives across Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta states, during which large consignments of cocaine, cannabis and pharmaceutical opioids were seized.
In Lagos, operatives raided a warehouse located within a residential compound on Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota, recovering 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at more than N2.6 billion.
The seizure was made between August 7 and 8, according to the agency.
Babafemi further disclosed that operatives raided the residence of a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, at Ipaja Estate, Ipaja, Lagos, where they recovered 324 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at N972 million.
Two vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla, were also recovered from the suspect.
In Kwara State, NDLEA officers arrested Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, at Kam Wire area of Ilorin, with 55.96 kilogrammes of skunk found 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 vehicle.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also intercepted two suspects, Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, recovering 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of Rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol.
In another operation along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway, Emeka Tony, 50, was arrested with 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, Kasum Sherif, was arrested.
Kano State also recorded major seizures, with six suspects arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road. They were identified as Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39.
Babafemi said operatives recovered 728,958 pills of tramadol, Rohypnol and other opioids, 360 grammes of cocaine, 99.8 grammes of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7 kilogrammes of Loud, another synthetic strain of cannabis, from the suspects.
At Zawaciki Gida Dubu in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, NDLEA officers recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8 kilogrammes and arrested Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24.
In Edo State, the agency destroyed 4,628.9775 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms measuring about 1.85 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, 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, with 25.857 kilogrammes of Loud and 93 grammes of methamphetamine recovered.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitisation programmes in schools and communities, including Madarasatu Sheikh Muhammad Rabi’u Arabic School in Kano and Olomu Junior Secondary School in Ajah, Lagos.
Babafemi quoted NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), as commending officers and personnel of the MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta Commands for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa also praised NDLEA commands nationwide for maintaining what he described as a balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
