Felix Temitope, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - A 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Dajou Abuba, was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Tuesday, 25th February 2025, while attempting to traffic 1.829 kilograms of cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey. Abuba, who hails from Zaire province in Angola, ingested 120 pellets of the drug, which he excreted in seven rounds under observation by NDLEA operatives. During interrogation, Abuba claimed he was previously involved in township delivery services in Angola before venturing into drug trafficking.
A statement today by the agency's spokesperson, Femi Babafemi disclosed that in a separate operation, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos arrested auto spare parts dealer Okeke Ebuka Igwe on Monday, 24th February. Igwe was caught attempting to export 1.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in vehicle propellers to Angola. The suspect, who operates a business at the ASPANDA Trade Fair Complex in Lagos, claimed he was unaware of the illicit contents.
On Sunday, 23rd February, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Sienna bus carrying 5.40 kilograms of cocaine destined for Owerri, Imo State. The driver, Ezechi Iyke Cyprian, was arrested after weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
At the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with Customs and other security agencies, uncovered 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in two mattresses inside a Toyota Venza car. The 63.75-kilogram consignment, imported from Montreal, Canada, was discovered during a joint examination of a container marked TCNU 1945861. The consignee, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph, has been arrested and is in custody.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives, supported by the military, destroyed over 50,000 kilograms of cannabis on a 20-hectare farm in Innam-Abbi/Orogun community, Ndokwa West Local Government Area. Five suspects were arrested during the raid. In a related operation, a Mercedes Benz truck carrying 1,111 kilograms of skunk was intercepted along Abraka-Orogun Road on Friday, 28th February.
In Edo State, a raid on Okpuje community in Owan West LGA led to the destruction of over 100 jumbo bags of skunk stored in warehouses. Two suspects, Oikelomen Osere Monday and Glory Iroyo, were arrested, and 1,409.5 kilograms of the substance were recovered for prosecution.
In Oyo State, Michael Omoloki was arrested with 58.5 kilograms of skunk at the Ibadan end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. In Kwara State, Beninoise national Lawali Mohammed was nabbed with 2,980 tablets of tramadol and diazepam pills at Eiyenkorin Expressway, Ilorin. In Osun State, a consignment of 1.05 kilograms of skunk hidden in detergent soap and biscuit cartons was intercepted, leading to the arrest of Sunday Ogbu. In Zamfara State, Ayuba Mustapha was arrested with 24,700 tramadol pills. In Borno State, Mustapha Shettima was caught with 31 kilograms of skunk, 1,000 tramadol pills, and N720,000 in cash along Bama Road, Maiduguri. In Kano, Adamu Idris was arrested with 73.5 kilograms of cannabis blocks.
Amidst these operations, NDLEA commands across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns. These included educational lectures at schools such as Ansarudeen Junior Secondary School in Lagos, Loretto Girls Special Science School in Anambra, and Tudun Murtala Special Primary School in Kano.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, praised the officers and men of the MMIA, MAKIA, SOU, Tincan, Delta, Edo, Oyo, Kano, Osun, Borno, Zamfara, and Kwara Commands for their efforts. He highlighted the agency’s balanced approach to reducing drug supply and demand, emphasizing the importance of these operations in safeguarding public health and security.
