The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a major drug trafficking network across several states, recovering illicit drugs worth more than N3.6 billion in Lagos alone and arresting a 48-year-old businessman allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine to India.
The suspect, Nwankwo Onyebuchi, a Lagos-based marble dealer, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday that operatives searching Onyebuchi’s luggage found 1.550 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in the side walls and railings of the bag.
The agency said the suspect allegedly disclosed that he had sold his marble business and other personal assets to raise N23 million to purchase the cocaine, which he intended to sell in India for about N100 million.
The arrest came as NDLEA operatives intensified nationwide operations against drug trafficking, with major seizures and arrests recorded in Lagos, Kano, Oyo, Plateau, Edo and Delta states.
In Lagos, operatives uncovered a warehouse concealed within a residential compound at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota, where they seized 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
The seizure, made between August 7 and 8, was valued at more than N2.6 billion.
In another operation at Ogundare Street, Ipaja Estate, operatives raided the residence of a suspected drug kingpin, 55-year-old Shoremi Kayode, recovering 324kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at N972 million. A Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla were also seized.
The two major Lagos seizures, combined with the cocaine intercepted at the airport, pushed the value of the drugs recovered in the state to well over N3.5 billion.
The agency also recorded significant successes against pharmaceutical drug trafficking.
Along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and 50-year-old Abdulrauf Ajadi after intercepting their Toyota Sienna. The vehicle contained 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection.
In Kano State, six suspects were arrested during a patrol 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.
According to the NDLEA, the suspects were found in possession of 728,958 pills of tramadol, Rohypnol and other opioids, alongside 360 grammes of cocaine, 99.8 grammes of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
Another operation at Zawaciki Gida Dubu, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano, resulted in the seizure of 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg and the arrest of Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24.
In Plateau State, operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. A suspect, Kasum Sheriff, was arrested.
Along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, 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.
In Edo State, the agency destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms covering 1.851591 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest in Orhionmwon Local Government Area. A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested.
At Oluku in Benin City, another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested during a raid on drug joints with 25.857kg of Loud and 93 grammes of methamphetamine.
In Delta State, operatives arrested 50-year-old Emeka Tony along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million in cash.
Beyond the arrests and seizures, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign through sensitisation programmes in schools and communities.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved in the operations, urging commands nationwide to sustain the offensive against illicit drugs.
Marwa said the agency would continue to combine drug supply reduction with demand reduction, stressing the importance of both enforcement and public awareness in tackling Nigeria’s drug problem.
