- Arrests three for cocaine, cannabis trafficking at Lagos Airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted illicit drugs valued at over N7 billion at Apapa and Onne seaports, while also arresting two businesspeople and a Canada-based nurse at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, for trafficking cocaine and Loud, a potent cannabis strain.
In a statement released by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the agency conducted a joint operation last week at Apapa Seaport, Lagos, where 162,351 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized. Simultaneously, operatives at the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, intercepted a container from India containing 7.2 million opioid pills, including Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, valued at over N3.6 billion. Additional codeine-based syrup worth N2.4 billion was recovered from two other containers at Onne, bringing the total drug haul to N7.1 billion.
At MMIA, the NDLEA arrested Ihejirika Okechukwu, a frequent traveler to Thailand, for attempting to smuggle 400 grams of cocaine concealed in his body. Another suspect, Iwuagwu Ikedi, was intercepted on arrival from Brazil after excreting 22 grams of cocaine pellets, confessing he had smuggled 30 wraps of the drug.
On October 4th, Canadian-based nurse Usman Olami was apprehended with 35.7 kg of Canadian Loud cannabis upon her arrival from Toronto. She claimed she was following instructions from her Nigerian boyfriend to deliver the synthetic cannabis.
The NDLEA’s operations extended beyond the ports and airports, with further arrests and seizures reported in Bauchi, Ondo, Edo, and Lagos states. Over 10,590 kg of cannabis was destroyed in Edo, while suspects across the states were apprehended with varying quantities of tramadol, methamphetamine, and other narcotics.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the agency’s officers for their efforts in combating drug trafficking and supporting national security, highlighting the balanced approach between drug supply and demand reduction.
