TheNewsGuru

Tag: Cocaine

  • NDLEA arrests wanted kingpin with 11.6kg cocaine, meth

    NDLEA arrests wanted kingpin with 11.6kg cocaine, meth

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a wanted 60-year-old drug kingpin, ending seven years of evading the law.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi.

    Babafemi said that the suspect was caught while attempting to transport large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to the South East Zone and other parts of the country.

    He said that the suspect, who had been on the wanted list of NDLEA since 2019, was eventually nabbed at his hideout in Isheri area of Lagos on July 13.

    This, he said, followed the interception of some of his consignments at 5:45 am on the same day at Ilasamaja on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.

    Babafemi said a team of NDLEA officers, acting on credible intelligence, had arrested one of the kingpin’s couriers.

    He said the courier was heading to Onitsha, Anambra, in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle.

    Babafemi said the agency’s sniffer dogs were subsequently brought in to search the vehicle.

    According to him, 7.6 kg of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine were found hidden in body compartments of the vehicle.

    He said a follow up operation was promptly carried out at the kingpin’s hideout in Isheri.

    Additional 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of methamphetamine, he said, were recovered from his residence.

    Babafemi also said that NDLEA operatives in a joint operation with Aviation Security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria recovered 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol.

    Babafemi said the drugs, which were in the luggage of an Italy-bound passenger, were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Wednesday.

    He said that the suspect, who was going to Italy via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight, claimed he purchased the drugs himself, hoping to sell them in that country at higher prices.

    In another arrest at the Lagos airport, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives at the export shed on Thursday intercepted 17 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

    Babafemi said that the drugs, which weighed 1.70kg, were concealed in packs of a popular cereal going to Pakistan as part of a consolidated cargo.

    According to him, a suspect was arrested in connection with the incident.

    In another development, Babafemi said 45,000 pills of tramadol were seized from a 30-year-old suspect on the Onitsha-Enugu expressway on Wednesday.

    Babafemi added that officers of the Taraba command on the same day apprehended two suspects with illicit drugs.

    He said that 10,000 caps of tramadol and a gram of cannabis were recovered from them in Gassol Local Government Area.

  • 32.9kg cocaine trafficking: 10 Thai sailors, ship convicted, fined $4.3m

    32.9kg cocaine trafficking: 10 Thai sailors, ship convicted, fined $4.3m

    . Conviction will send strong warning to int’l drug cartel, local collaborators, says Marwa, commends NDLEA officers for diligent investigation and prosecution

    After over three years of diligent prosecution by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor has convicted 10 Thai sailors and their vessel named MV Chayanee Naree for trafficking 32.9 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport, Lagos.

    The convicted sailors who are all nationals of Thailand include: Krilerk Tanakhan; Boonlert Hansoongnern; Jakkarin Booncharoen; Thammarong Put-tlek; Worrapat Paopinta; Marut Kantaprom; Werapat Somboonying; Urkit Amsri; Panudet Jaisuk and Amrat Thawom.

    They were first arraigned before the court along with nine Nigerian suspects by NDLEA in February 2022 on offences bordering on conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the illicit drug consignment from Brazil to Nigeria. The vessel, the convicted sailors and the nine Nigerians were arrested on 13th October 2021, at the Apapa port in Lagos. The Nigerian suspects are: Samuel Messiah; Ishaya Maisamari; Ilesanmi Ayo Abbey; Osabeye Stephen; Gbenga Ogunfadeke; Kayode Buletiri; Rilwan Omotosho Liasu; Saidi Sule Alani and Jamiu Adewale Yusuf.

    They were all subsequently charged to court over the illegal acts which NDLEA prosecutors argued contravened sections 11(a), 11 (b), and 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.

    The convicted sailors had initially made a no-case submission which was dismissed following submissions by the prosecution that a prima facie case had been established against the vessel and its crew members. As a result, the trial judge ordered the convicted Thai sailors and others to open their defence on the charges against them.

    Following the court ruling, the convicted sailors opted for a plea bargain agreement with the NDLEA and as a result, Justice Osiagor delivered his ruling at the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday 15th May 2025.

    Among other penalties, the judge convicted the Vessel MV Chayanee Naree for unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria and
    ordered to pay a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent.

    The 2nd – 11th defendants were convicted under section 25 of the NDLEA Act for permitting the use of the vessel for the unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants were ordered to pay N100,000.00 each as punishment for the offence and in addition restitution in the sum of $50,000 USD each or its equivalent in Naira to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The 5th – 11th defendants are to pay N100,000.00 each and restitution in the sum of $30,000.00, bringing the total amount payable to Four Million Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand US Dollars ($4,360,000.00).
    Justice Osiagor thereafter adjourned the trial of the nine Nigerian suspects to June 25.
    While the prosecution was led by the Agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, DCGN Theresa Asuquo, supported by A. Adebayo and Paul Awogbuyi, the defence team was led by the trio of Messrs Babajide Koku, Femi Atoyebi and Tunde Adejuyigbe, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).
    In his reaction, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the court ruling was a strong message to the international drug cartel and their local collaborators that Nigeria will never be a safe hub for illicit drug trafficking. He commended the NDLEA prosecution team and officers of the Apapa Strategic Command involved in the arrest, seizure and investigation of the shipment for their diligence and resilience in following the case to a logical conclusion. He charged them not to relent in pursuing the other part of the case still pending.

  • India-bound siblings arrested at Lagos airport with 5kg cocaine in walls of suitcases

    India-bound siblings arrested at Lagos airport with 5kg cocaine in walls of suitcases

     

    Operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested two brothers: John Abugu, 43, and Kenneth Abugu, 31, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, Lagos with 5kilograms cocaine concealed in walls of their suitcases while attempting to board a flight to India.

    The two brothers were arrested at the Lagos airport on Thursday 3rd April 2025 following proactive processing of credible intelligence. They claimed they were travelling to India for medical treatment but when their suitcases were thoroughly searched by NDLEA officers, whitish powdery substances later confirmed to be cocaine were discovered on the walls of their bags.

    In a similar development, NDLEA officers of the MMIA Strategic Command same day, Thursday 3rd April intercepted a 20-year-old Ghanaian – British man, Parker Darren Hazekia Osei with 36 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 19.40kg packed in a giant travelling bag. The suspect who claims he is a student of Computer Science at East London University, UK, was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, at the E-arrival hall of the Lagos airport.

    In his statement, the techie claims he lives with his parents in the UK but left London about a week ago for Bangkok where he picked up the illicit drug consignment to deliver in Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Kogi state have arrested a 33-year-old lady, Ngozi Ogili while moving 3kilograms of methamphetamine from Lagos to Abuja. She was nabbed in a commercial transport bus along Okene-Lokoja highway on Monday 31st March 2025. A follow up operation at her point of delivery in Apo mechanic area of Abuja led to the seizure of quantities of Loud and Colorado, both synthetic strains of cannabis.

    In Abia state, NDLEA officers on Saturday 5th April arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Nna Nnanna Felix with 1.6kg skunk, a strain of cannabis during a raid at Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West LGA, while another suspect David Chinemerem, 21, was nabbed with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine at 7 Nnajiego Lane, Umuode road, Aba on Tuesday 1st April.

    No fewer than 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol were seized from a suspect, Abdullahi Adamu along Potiskum-Damaturu road, Yobe state by NDLEA operatives on Saturday 5th April, just as raid operations at Osogbo motor park, Onitsha and a house at Oba in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra state led to the arrest of Obinna Sunday and the seizure of 195,000 pills of tramadol. Also arrested during the raid at the motor park was Ugochukwu Ojalanonye with 4.2kg codeine syrup and 5.4kg pentazocine.

    In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 3rd April arrested 51-year-old Sunday Ayogu with 25kg skunk and 90.4g of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Wuse market Abuja, while two ladies: Faith Effiong Etim, 64, and Victoria Asuquo Etim, 40, were nabbed on Friday 4th April when NDLEA operatives supported by men of the Nigerian Army raided cannabis plantations in Esuk-Odot community, Odukpani LGA of Cross River State where 250,000 kilograms of the psychoactive plant were destroyed on over 100 hectares of farm land.

    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 Cave City Secondary School, Ogidi, Anambra state; residents of Dan’iyau village, Batagarawa LGA, Katsina; and members of Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers in Sangere and Kwanan Waya, Yola, Adamawa state, among others.
    While commending the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, Yobe, Abia, Kogi, Anambra, Cross River and FCT 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.

  • NDLEA detains nursing student over alleged attempt to ingest 76 wraps of cocaine

    NDLEA detains nursing student over alleged attempt to ingest 76 wraps of cocaine

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has detained  for prosecution, a 26-year-old nursing student at Noida International University in India, for allegedly waiting to ingest 76 wraps of cocaine.

    NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this on Sunday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said  the suspect was to swallow the wraps of cocaine, hours before her return flight to the South Asian country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano.

    He said the suspect was scheduled to return to Delhi, India from MAKIA Kano aboard the Qatar Airways flight 1432 on Friday but was arrested in her room at about 11:30pm on Thursday.

    “She was arrested at Royal Park Hotel Sabon Garin Kano, while awaiting the cocaine consignment she was to ingest before her flight the following morning.

    “Her lid was blown open when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi, on Thursday, Jan. 16 intercepted a 31-year-old male accomplice in a commuter bus coming from Lagos enroute Kano.

    “Inside his black polythene bag was an audio speaker, which was used to conceal 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.340 kgs, which he was going to deliver to Esther in Kano.

    “A swift follow up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the female nursing university student later same day.”

    According to Babafemi, the nursing student claimed that  the drug cartel she worked for,  recruited her in India and paid for her trip to Nigeria to enjoy her Christmas and New Year holidays.

    “To avoid her parents knowing she was in Nigeria, she did not travel to her home state, Imo but was lodged for two weeks in a hotel in Enugu, from where she was flown to Abuja.

    “Then she travelled from Abuja to Kano where she was lodged at Royal Park Hotel to swallow the 76 pellets of cocaine sent to her from Lagos before taking her Qatar Airways flight to India on Friday morning.

    “She said she was promised over 5,000 dollars (About N9 million) upon successful delivery of the illicit consignment in India,” Babafemi said

  • Europe-bound businessman arrested at Abuja airport for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine (Photos)

    Europe-bound businessman arrested at Abuja airport for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine (Photos)

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur while attempting to board an Air France flight 844 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA Abuja to Paris, France for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine.

    Orizu was arrested at the boarding gate of the Abuja airport on Sunday 22nd December 2024 during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France.

    When he was pulled aside for body scan, he turned down the request claiming his medical condition won’t allow him.
    He was thereafter taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over a period of seven days.

    In his statement, Orizu claimed he owns a shop at Balogun market, Lagos Island where he sells school and travelling bags, adding that he was promised 3,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Paris. He left his base in Lagos for the Abuja airport to connect his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection.

    In another interdiction effort, operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA at 2:30am on Christmas eve, Tuesday 24th December intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko beach in Lekki area of Lagos.

    Six foreign nationals who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested during the operation.

    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.

    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.

    The Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered by Lagos State Strategic Command in collaboration with Menitos Foundation to residents of Akoka community at Ayetoro primary school, Akoka Bariga; while the Adamawa State command of NDLEA delivered same lecture to members of Jama’atul Nasril Islam during their annual first aid group and leadership camping in Adamawa among others.

    While commending the efforts of the officers and men of NAIA, Katsina, Edo and Marine Commands of the Agency for job well done in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) tasked them and their compatriots nationwide not to rest on the achievements of 2024 but continue to raise the bar in their offensive action against drug barons and cartels with an equal measure of WADA sensitisation campaigns in the new year.

  • 2.1 tons cocaine seizure: 4 drug lords bag 28yrs in jail, forfeit VGC houses, N67m, $50,000+Photos

    2.1 tons cocaine seizure: 4 drug lords bag 28yrs in jail, forfeit VGC houses, N67m, $50,000+Photos

    Four drug kingpins arrested in connection with the historic seizure of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine at an Ikorodu residential estate in 2022 have been convicted by a Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro who sentenced them to various jail terms totaling twenty-eight (28) years with hard labour.
    The convicts: Soji Jubril Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44, a Jamaican, were charged with six counts in charge number: FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December 2022, while the trial of the fifth suspect, Oguntolure Sunday arraigned along with them is still ongoing in court. The charges border on conspiracy to form and operate a drug trafficking organization (DTO); management and financing of a DTO; importation and possession of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine, among others.
    Operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA had in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation on Sunday 18th September, 2022 raided a house located at 6 Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, Lagos where the over 2.1 tons of cocaine were seized, the largest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s anti-narcotic operations. The drug kingpins were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between the night of Sunday 18th and Monday 19th September, 2022.
     After over two years of diligent prosecution, the trial judge handed the Jamaican, Kelvin Christopher Smith four years imprisonment with hard labour; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu got a total of 16 years; Soji Jubril Oke got five years with hard labour and Wasiu Akinade three years with hard labour. The trial judge however gave the convicts varying options of fine with the exception of one of them who will serve his full jail term without an option of fine.
    They were also to forfeit a grey colour Toyota Tacoma SUV marked AAA-734HT registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu; $50,000:00 USD (Fifty Thousand US Dollars) belonging to Chukwu; N55,099,509.50 (Fifty-Five Million, Ninety-Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Nine Naira, Fifty Kobo only) also belonging to Chukwu; the sum of N9,003,168.06 (Nine Million Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Eight Naira Six Kobo only) belonging to Wasiu Akinade and N3,052,295.20 (Three Million, Fifty Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety Five Naira Twenty Kobo only), also belonging to Akinade.
    The Agency also in another suit marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024 and filed before Justice Bogoro on 9th December 2024 after an initial interim forfeiture order, secured the final forfeiture of two houses linked to members of the drug cartel.
    According to the trial court: “That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal
    Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number 6 Olokunola Street,
    Sholebo Estate, Ikorodu Lagos, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 2A, 2B,
    and 2C attached to this application used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55kg (More Than Two Tons) Cocaine, an illicit substance similar to Heroin and LSD.
    “That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1,
    Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lagos, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 3
    attached to this application reasonably believed to be bought with proceeds derived
    from trafficking in illicit drug substances (proceeds of crime) as in relief 1 of this Motion.
    “That an Order is granted directing the sale or disposal by any other means provided by law of the forfeited House/Landed Property by the Applicant and the payment of the proceeds
    therefrom to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
    While commending all the officers and men of the Agency involved in the extensive investigation and prosecution of members of the drug cartel, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the case is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they’ll not only go to jail but will equally lose all their investments in illicit drug consignments including all the properties and wealth acquired through the criminal trade.
  • After 35 years business man nabbed with ingested cocaine in his stomach

    After 35 years business man nabbed with ingested cocaine in his stomach

    …as NDLEA intercepts UK-bound cocaine, pentazocine consignments in Lagos; 3.1million pills of opioids in Kano; 2,777kg cannabis in Lagos, Edo

    After 35 years in Brazil, a businessman based in the South American country, Ezeokoli Sylva has returned home with 700grams of cocaine buried in his stomach, a discovery made following his arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
    The 59-year-old Ezeokoli was arrested on Friday 29th November 2024 at the E-Arrival hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil on Ethiopia Airlines flight via Addis Ababa. When he was taken for body scan, the result confirmed that the suspect had foreign objects concealed in his stomach. As a result, he was placed under excretion observation during which he expelled 29 wraps of substances that tested positive to cocaine weighing 700grams.

    In his statement, the suspect claimed he operates an African store in Brazil where he sells provisions, shoes and clothes. He added that he bought the illicit consignment in Sao Paulo to resell in Nigeria with a view to raising substantial capital to boost his business.

    Meanwhile, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Investigation and General Investigation, DOGI, on Tuesday 26th November intercepted two consignments containing cocaine and pentazocine injection going to the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos. While the cocaine weighing 200grams was concealed in local fabrics, 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 110grams were hidden in cartons.
    In Kano, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 28th November arrested three suspects: Jamilu Adamu, 38; Umar Musa, 32; and Bunu Ali, 27, with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3,135,000 pills exol-5 at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria road.

    No fewer than 2, 120 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis produced in Ghana were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Ilesan beach, Lagos on Thursday 28th November. A suspect, Onibogi Muftau was arrested in connection with the seizure while four vehicles that were to convey the shipments from the water front were also recovered. This came on the heels of the seizure of 472kg of the same psychoactive substance at Idi-Iroko, Imeko area of Ogun state on Monday 25th November.

    In Edo state, two suspects: Monday Onyenemue, 60, and Evans Omogiede, 42, were on Thursday 28th November arrested and 185.6kg cannabis as well as a Toyota Previa bus marked BEN 06XL conveying the consignment recovered during an intelligence-led raid by NDLEA operatives at Ukuwague street, Benin city.

    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 students and staff of Government Girls Secondary School, Kofar Wambai, Kano; Government Day Secondary School, Njoboli- Fulani, Yola, Adamawa state; Girls High School, Mgbowo, Enugu state; God’s Time College, Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti state while Cross River state Command delivered WADA sensitization lecture to traders at 8 Miles market, Calabar, among others.

    While commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Lagos, 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.

  • NDLEA arrests businessman at Enugu airport for ingesting 90 wraps of cocaine

    NDLEA arrests businessman at Enugu airport for ingesting 90 wraps of cocaine

    ..smashes 2 cocaine syndicates, arrests Chinese, Nigerian kingpins, 5 associates in Lagos; intercepts N4.3Billion worth of opioids at Onne, Tincan ports

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 50-year-old businessman, Osuoha Christian Iheanacho, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu, for ingesting 90 wraps of cocaine.

    Osuoha was intercepted on Wednesday 20th November 2024 at the arrival hall of the Enugu airport during the inbound screening of passengers arriving from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on an Ethiopian airlines flight following months of intelligence and surveillance on him. He was subsequently placed on excretion observation during which he egested 90 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.019 kilograms in seven excretions.

    Investigation reveals that the suspect who operates phone and accessories business in Lagos and Gabon, Central Africa, travelled by road from Gabon to Douala, Cameroon from where he took a flight to Addis Ababa where he swallowed the pellets of cocaine while in transit and thereafter continued his journey to Enugu with Lagos as his final destination. He deliberately complicated his movement to distort traces of his travel history unknown to him that he has been on NDLEA watchlist for the past three months. In his statement, Osuoha said he desperately needed the money from the criminal drug trade to boost his declining phone and accessories business.

    In another well-coordinated operation carried out by a Special Operations Unit of the Agency on Thursday 21st November, head of a cocaine distribution cartel, 42-year-old Ndive Maxwell Obinna was arrested along with five of his associates at Ago Palace Way in Okota, Isolo, Lagos. A total of 2.412 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from them.

    Other members of the drug trafficking organization arrested along Obinna include:
    Okeke Gloria Ifeoma who is the syndicate’s stash keeper; Ikechebelu Emmanuel Chibuzor; Okorie Onyedikachi; Okonkwo Nnabugo Prince; and Okafor Blessing Anita.
    In a related development, another drug syndicate operated by a Chinese man, 58-year-old Tianzhen Yen (alias Jackie) has been dismantled by NDLEA operatives following his arrest at his hotel in Ikeja area of Lagos. Officers of the Seme Special Area Command of the Agency had on Thursday 21st November intercepted a 40-year-old suspect, Yakubu Emmanuel Mark in a commercial bus going to Ghana at the Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Seme expressway based on credible intelligence.
    When he was searched, a total of 750grams of cocaine were found in his bag. A swift follow up operation was organized to trace and arrest the kingpin behind the trans-border drug trafficking syndicate, who turned out to be a Chinese citizen, Tianzhen Yen. He was eventually traced to MC Hotel behind Alade market, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. When his hotel room was searched, 4.3grams of cocaine; a gram of methamphetamine; two electronic weighing scales; and Chinese National Identification Number Card, among other exhibits were recovered while he was arrested in the vicinity of the hotel.
    At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday 22nd November intercepted 92 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis with a combined weight of 23.25kg concealed in two vehicles imported from Canada: a Nissan car and a GMC bus. The discovery was made during a joint examination of a container from Canada by NDLEA officers, men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other stakeholders.
    In Rivers state, NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, on Thursday 21st November intercepted two containers of imported opioids during a joint examination with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

    A total of 168,000 bottles of codeine based syrup worth One Billion One Hundred and Seventy Six Million Naira (N1,176,000,000) only in street value, were recovered from one of the containers while the second one contains Four Million Five Hundred Thousand (4,500,000) pills of super royal tramadol 225mg valued at Three Billion One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N3,150,000,000) only, bringing the combined value of both the codeine and tramadol consignments to Four Billion Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million Naira (N4,326,000,000) only.

    In Ekiti state, NDLEA operatives on Sunday 17th November arrested a 50-year-old physically challenged woman, Mustapha Boja, with 286 grams of Colorado and Loud strains of cannabis at Araromi street, Ikere-Ekiti, while 64kg of cannabis sativa was recovered at Akinyele motor park, Ibadan, Oyo state on Thursday 21st November.

    Not less than 1,200.5 kilograms of same psychoactive substance were seized during raids by NDLEA officers in parts of Edo state. At Utese forest in Ovia North East LGA, 463.5kg was recovered on Thursday 21st November; while 507kg was seized at a compound in Owan village, Ovia LGA where the duo of David Ojo Ederin, 60, and Afoje Frank, 24, were arrested on Friday 22nd November. Another suspect, Godwin Okhoya, 40, was nabbed with 230kg of same substance at Okpuje, Owan West LGA.

    In Kano, four suspects: Usman Sani, 25; Abdul Mohd, 28; Bunu Ali,27; and Umar Musa, 30, were on Tuesday 19th November arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria- Kano road, with 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 45kg, while Ayuba Umar Zaranda, 55, was nabbed with 124kg cannabis at Pengana village, Toro LGA, Bauchi state.

    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 Sardauna Academy, Malumfashi, Katsina state; Community Secondary School, Ede-Oballa, Nsukka, Enugu state; Government Secondary School, Riji, Kano state; Government Secondary School, Ogba, Ahoada East LGA, Rivers state and the youths and community leaders of Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti state, among others.

    While commending the officers and men of AIIA, SIU,Tincan, Onne, Seme, Ekiti, Oyo, Kano, Bauchi, 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.

  • UK, Italy, Turkey, Qatar-bound cocaine, meth consignments intercepted in Lagos, Abuja

    . .how NDLEA nabbed masterminds at MMIA, Abuja hotel; foils bid to smuggle opioids into Lagos from Ghana

    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 have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, who in series of intelligence led operations recovered the illicit drugs and arrested the masterminds.

    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.

    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. He claimed to have travelled to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea and earned a living as a street beggar before delving into logistics business.

    Also related is the arrest of another businessman, Anoke Kingsley Roomy 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.

    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.

    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.

  • NDLEA operatives nab 2 blood brothers behind cocaine shipment to Vietnam

    NDLEA operatives nab 2 blood brothers behind cocaine shipment to Vietnam

    …as NDLEA intercepts 2.4million tramadol pills in Gombe

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have nabbed two blood brothers behind cocaine shipment to Vietnam.

    Also, an Ibadan, Oyo state-based businesswoman, Mrs. Adewunmi Adebola Dorcas and an auto parts dealer, Arinze Ora over attempts to export consignments of opioids and cocaine to London, United Kingdom and Congo Brazzaville respectively.

    NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos had on Friday 6th September 2024 intercepted a cargo going to the United Kingdom. A thorough search of the consignment revealed 924 bottles of codeine-based syrup weighing 135.70kg and 5,250 tablets of rohypnol were hidden in cartons of foods.

    The freight agent, Owojori Olanrewaju Sunday who presented the cargo for export was promptly arrested.

    Further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, Adewunmi Akeem Temitope, who claimed that his mother, 58-year-old Mrs. Adewunmi Adebola Dorcas sent the consignment to him from Ibadan to deliver to the agent. A follow up operation on Saturday 7th September led to the arrest of Mrs. Adewunmi in Ibadan where she deals in foodstuffs and cargo export.
    In his statement, the agent Owojori confessed that he has been working for Mrs. Adewunmi to export cargoes to the UK, adding that he was paid N2,411,000.00 for the job, while he was paid N2.1million for a similar consignment handled for the businesswoman

    In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the same export shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday 11th September intercepted some cartons of auto spare parts and checkers powder custard going to Congo Brazzaville on Ethiopian Airlines. A diligent search of the cargo led to the discovery of 300 grams of cocaine concealed in the containers of checkers powder custard packed together with some auto parts.
    A follow up operation led to the arrest of the sender of the consignment, Arinze Ora, who deals in auto parts at Shop 12, Block 7 Aspanda Trade Fair Auto Parts Wing, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.
    Meanwhile, operatives of a Special Operations Unit of NDLEA on Tuesday 10th September arrested two brothers: Ikechukwu Ikeabba and Ugochukwu Ikeabba who are sponsors of drug traffickers who specialise in exporting drugs by ingestion to Vietnam. Their arrest followed diligent investigation of an earlier arrest of an Onitsha, Anambra state based-businessman, Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike, who excreted 68 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.282 kilograms after 12 days of excretion observation after he was arrested at the local wing of the Lagos airport by NDLEA operatives.

    The 36-year-old Ibeanusi was arrested in the early hours of Thursday 8th August 2024 at the old domestic terminal of the Lagos airport while attempting to board the first flight out of Lagos to Abuja where he was scheduled to join a Qatar Airways flight to Vietnam at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja at about 10am same day.
    Another Vietnam-bound businessman, 54-year-old Paul Okwuy Mbadugha had been arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Abuja airport on Monday 12th August 2024 during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR 1432 to Hanoi, Vietnam via Doha after he tested positive to ingestion of cocaine.

    After four days under observation, Mbadugha egested a total of 88 wraps of the illicit drug with a gross weight of 1.710 kilograms.

    At the time of the arrest of the two kingpins, the Ikeabba brothers, they were caught with 87 wraps of cocaine dummies used in training intending swallowers.

    In Gombe state, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Saturday 14th September arrested three suspects: Auwal Abdullahi, Isah Rabiu and Abubakar Da’u along Bauchi-Gombe road while travelling in a DAF truck marked GME 552 ZU. A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of two million four hundred and ninety (2,490,000) pills of tramadol concealed with bags of salt.
    A suspect, Idris Adamu, 23, was arrested with 41.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa at Kachia town, Kaduna state on Tuesday 10th September while two suspects: Godiya Sekyen Jikuk, 36, and Yusuf Umaru,65, were nabbed at Isinbode -Ekiti, Ekiti state with a total of 73.6kg cannabis on Wednesday 11th September.

    In Bauchi state, no fewer than 208,920 pills of tramadol and diazepam were seized from a suspect, Chinedu Asadu, 35, on Thursday 13th September while 104kg of cannabis was recovered from two suspects: Abba Abdullahi and Mustapha Yahaya along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Tuesday 10th September by operatives in Lagos state.
    Not less than 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were discovered by NDLEA operatives in two containers shipped from India during a joint examination of the containers with men of Customs Service and other security agencies at the Tincan port in Lagos on Tuesday 10th September. The containers were part of those targeted by NDLEA for 100 percent examination.

    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 Secondary School, Galamawa and Government Junior Secondary School, Kaci, Dutse, Jigawa state; students of Kukudus Islamic School, Minna,Niger state; nurses and midwives at UBTH School of Nursing, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo state; members of Vulcanisers Association of Nigeria in Ibarapa central LGA, Oyo state; Muslim faithful at Central Mosque, Demsa, Adamawa state, and WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Rano, Kano state, Alhaji Muhammad Isah Umaru, among others.

    While commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, MMIA, Tincan, Lagos, Gombe, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Ekiti 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 are well appreciated. He urged them to continue to intensify ongoing drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.