Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 42-year-old Indian woman, Ms. Neetu Neetu, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin concealed in wafer wraps and disguised as chocolates.
In a statement on Sunday 23rd March 2025 Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja Femi Babafemi said the consignment, weighing 11 kilograms, was discovered during a thorough search of Neetu’s luggage upon her arrival on Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha, on Friday, 14th March 2025. The operation was based on credible intelligence.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, highlighted that the arrest reflects a growing trend of drug trafficking organizations hiring white women and foreign nationals to smuggle illicit substances through Nigerian borders. He commended the vigilance of NDLEA operatives, who rely on advanced technological tools and proactive intelligence to intercept such attempts.
In a separate operation in Kano, NDLEA officers arrested a 45-year-old suspect, Michael Ogundele, on Thursday, 20th March, at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano Road. A search of his 50-litre steel gas cylinder revealed 50,000 pills of Tramadol (225mg) concealed inside, extracted using welding tools.
Additionally, Sunday Ogar, 40, was arrested with 27kg of skunk in the Gunduwawa area of Kano on Wednesday, 19th March. On Tuesday, 18th March, Khadijah Abdullahi, 40, was caught with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Lungun Bulala Yalwa.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives apprehended Olumuyiwa Kolawole and Samod Adisa with 67.5kg of skunk in Mushin. Aother 100.8kg of skunk was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in the Anifowoshe area of Mushin. On the same day, Isah Idris was arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg of skunk, 600 grams of Tramadol (225mg), and 30 litres of codeine syrup. Yahaya Mohamed was also arrested in Ikotun with quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Brig. Gen. Marwa praised the MAKIA, Kano, and Lagos commands for their successful operations. He also acknowledged the ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which recently included sensitization programs in schools, markets, and workplaces across the country.
