The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Izueke, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) for attempting to smuggle cocaine to China, as the agency recorded multiple drug busts across the country.
Izueke was intercepted last Saturday during the outward screening of passengers travelling to China via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940. A body scan conducted by NDLEA officers revealed the presence of illicit substances in his system, prompting his placement under medical observation.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect excreted 95 jumbo-sized wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 1.589 kilogrammes, over seven separate excretions. During interrogation, Izueke, who claimed to be a dealer in clothing and automobile spare parts in Lagos, said he resorted to drug trafficking to raise funds to complete a house project in his hometown, Iwollo, Enugu State.
In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives recovered 627.7 kilogrammes of skunk from a makeshift warehouse at Fums Plaza, Kubwa. Officers also thwarted an attempt to smuggle methamphetamine concealed in MP3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna. The consignment was intercepted in a commercial bus last Friday.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Ebube Okeke in Zuba, FCT, with 173 grammes of methamphetamine. Three additional suspects—Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Arinze and Friday Michael—were arrested the following day in Kaduna while attempting to collect another consignment weighing 28 grammes.
In Taraba State, NDLEA officers at the Dan-Anacha patrol point in Gassol Local Government Area intercepted a 32-year-old suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, who was transporting yoghurt packs from Lagos to Mubi, Adamawa State. A search of the consignment uncovered 1.8 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed within some of the packs.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 29-year-old Beninoise, Shuaibu Abdulrahman, at Ibudo-Igboho village, Sooro Kishi, with 149.6 kilogrammes of skunk hidden inside rice shafts. In a separate operation in Ibadan, officers arrested Adeniyi Adeola, popularly known as “Prince,” at Agbeni Market, recovering over 10,800 ampoules of pentazocine injections and 117,820 capsules of tramadol from his truck.
Also in Ibadan, the agency dismantled a synthetic cannabis production facility in the Badeku area, arresting a suspected drug kingpin, Jimoh Nurudeen, 40, and his accomplice, Ogundipe Yusuf, 27. Items recovered included precursor chemicals, skunk, production equipment, ₦7.4 million in cash and two vehicles.
In Kwara State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a fuel tanker travelling from Lagos to Maiduguri and recovered 395,400 capsules of tramadol concealed inside the vehicle. The driver was taken into custody.
Further arrests were recorded in Imo State, where a couple was apprehended with 203 kilogrammes of skunk, and in Ondo State, where 420 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from a bush in Ikun Akoko. In Lagos, 31 wraps of cocaine were seized from a suspect arriving by boat from Côte d’Ivoire, while another suspect was arrested on Lagos Island with 3.6 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud and Colorado.
In Enugu State, NDLEA officers arrested a 37-year-old suspected drug dealer, recovering quantities of skunk, methamphetamine, cocaine, molly and cash from his residence.
The agency said it also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across schools, communities and traditional institutions nationwide during the period.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged personnel to remain committed and professional in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
