The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested several individuals involved in drug trafficking and seized significant quantities of narcotics in separate operations across Nigeria.
The arrests and seizures occurred at key locations, including airports, borders, and within various states.
Onitsha-based businessman Ibeanusi Nosike was detained at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after excreting 68 wraps of cocaine.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesperson, stated, “Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike was under excretion observation for 12 days following his arrest while trying to board a flight to Abuja from Lagos.”
Nosike, who had ingested the cocaine before his arrest on 8th August 2024, had planned to fly to Vietnam via a connecting flight from Abuja. According to Babafemi, Nosike “arrived in Lagos on August 7 and lodged in a hotel where he ingested the 68 wraps of cocaine.”
In a related incident, another businessman, Paul Mbadugha, was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on 12th August after testing positive for drug ingestion. He eventually excreted 88 wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 1.710 kilograms.
In another operation, the NDLEA apprehended Aligbo Jacob, an Onitsha businessman, following the discovery of 1.20 kilograms of cannabis concealed in a package bound for Dubai.
“The package was intercepted at the Lagos airport’s export shed,” Babafemi said. Investigations revealed that the shipment was sent from Onitsha, leading to Jacob’s arrest on 17th August.
Furthermore, a female drug trafficking ring was dismantled at the Seme border, with the arrest of five women involved in smuggling narcotics.
“Five cross-border female drug traffickers were apprehended at the Seme border while returning to Lagos from Ghana,” Babafemi noted. Among those arrested was Olaribigbe Feyisara, the suspected leader of the group.
The operatives recovered 14 packs of ‘Loud,’ a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 6.97 kilograms, hidden on their bodies.
NDLEA officers also intercepted a massive shipment of codeine-based syrup worth over N2.2 billion at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos.
“Two containers from India were found to contain 1,596 cartons of codeine-based syrup, amounting to 319,200 bottles,” Babafemi reported. The interception was part of a joint examination conducted with other port stakeholders on 23rd August.
In Edo State, two women were arrested for selling drug-laced cookies and cakes online. “Operatives detained Martha Owotorofa, 26, and Odion Uzordinma, 21, in Benin City with quantities of Canadian Loud, drug-laced cookies, and cakes,” Babafemi said. In a separate raid in Oghada village, another suspect, Saturday Edobor, 50, was arrested with 288.8 kilograms of cannabis.
Additional arrests were made in Lagos, including Godwill Davidson, who was found with 3,834 bottles of codeine syrup, 5,200 Co-Codamol pills, and 11,880 Rohypnol tablets in the Mushin area. Yahaya Ibrahim, 23, was also apprehended on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway with 42,000 tramadol pills.
Two other suspects, Feranmi Bankole and Fredrick Tobiloba, both 25, were arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, with 267.5 litres of ‘skuchies,’ a mixture of black currant and various illicit drugs, along with 18 grams of Canadian Loud.
