Felix Temitope, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has thwarted a massive drug smuggling attempt at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The seizure, valued at N4.4 billion, involved 845 wraps of cocaine weighing 18.72 kilograms, found concealed in the lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft that had arrived from Addis Ababa on October 29.
Acting on a tip from the airline’s authorities, NDLEA operatives recovered the drugs from the waste collectors in two rear lavatories of the aircraft after its arrival. The illicit consignment, stashed in nine polythene bags, was part of an international smuggling operation involving syndicates from Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. NDLEA confirmed that at least 30 suspects have been interrogated in connection with the bust, as investigations revealed that the drugs were trafficked from Brazil to Ethiopia, ingested, excreted, and then collected by couriers attempting to smuggle them into Nigeria.
The NDLEA also intercepted various narcotics, including cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol, intended for export to Australia, the UAE, and the United Kingdom. The drugs, concealed in body cream containers and art pieces, were uncovered by NDLEA's Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) in Lagos on October 28.
In another operation on October 29 at Lagos’ Apapa seaport, NDLEA operatives, collaborating with the Nigerian Customs Service and other agencies, uncovered 754,000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen 225mg. These drugs, valued at N525 million, were concealed in a targeted container from India.
Similar crackdowns occurred on highways and towns across Nigeria. In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, officers apprehended two suspects: Mujahid Hamisu, 24, who was found transporting 147,000 tramadol pills concealed in plumbing materials, and Seun Abimbola, 47, caught with 512 grams of methamphetamine. Both arrests took place on November 2 along major highways.
The NDLEA’s anti-drug activities extended to Kogi, where officers on patrol along the Kabba-Obajana highway seized N4.35 million in counterfeit currency from a suspect, Mercy Ameh, 28, traveling from Lagos to Abuja on October 30. Another suspect, Shaibu Dahiru, 27, was arrested on the same day on the Lokoja-Okene-Abuja road with 68 blocks of cannabis weighing 27.4 kilograms.
In Katsina, long-time NDLEA target Usman Abba, also known as "Timaya," was arrested at Liberty Hotel, Kofar Kaura, with a substantial quantity of Arizona, a potent strain of cannabis.
In Ondo, 561 kilograms of cannabis were seized from a Sienna vehicle in Ogbese village on October 28. Meanwhile, operatives in Adamawa arrested Augustine Dike, 31, with 50.3 grams of methamphetamine at Quarisa Hotel in Jimeta. Additional drug arrests were made in Taraba, Kaduna, and Edo, where large quantities of tramadol, cannabis, and other drugs were confiscated in various operations.
Alongside its anti-trafficking operations, the NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, organizing sensitization lectures and outreach programs at schools, workplaces, and communities across the country. Schools involved included Government Day Secondary School, Adamawa; College of Arts and Islamic Studies, Niger; Regina Catholic International College, Abia; Akinmorin Grammar School, Oyo; and Redeemer’s International School, Ebonyi.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, lauded the efforts of NDLEA operatives nationwide, commending their commitment to stemming the tide of drug trafficking while promoting awareness on the dangers of drug abuse through WADA.
The NDLEA’s recent operations highlight Nigeria’s determination to combat drug trafficking and abuse through strategic collaborations, targeted enforcement, and widespread education, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to a drug-free society.
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