In a recent crackdown on drug trafficking, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have made significant arrests at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and other locations across Nigeria.
One of the apprehended individuals, Freeman Charles Ogbonna, was bound for Delhi, India, when NDLEA officers intercepted him at the screening point of terminal 2 at MMIA. Ogbonna, who had ingested 80 wraps of cocaine, was identified through a body scan and subsequently expelled the illicit substance, amounting to 889 grams, over a span of four days. According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Ogbonna confessed that he was lured into drug trafficking by a relative, with the promise of a cash reward upon successful delivery in India.
In a separate incident at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers thwarted the efforts of Imran Taofeek Olalekan, who was attempting to travel to Oman with concealed drugs in his check-in luggage and backpack. Olalekan disclosed that he was promised a substantial sum for delivering the contraband, while his recruiter, Ishola Isiaka Olalekan, accompanied him to the airport. Intriguingly, charms were found in their possession, believed to have been acquired to evade detection during their illegal activities.
Meanwhile, at the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives seized 2,144 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 1,072 kilograms. The drugs were concealed within various items within a container originating from Canada.
In other regions of Nigeria, the NDLEA continues its crackdown on drug-related offenses. In Kano, Gidado Sani, who had previously jumped bail, was re-arrested with a significant quantity of cannabis. Additionally, suspects in Ogun state and Lagos were apprehended with cannabis and cocaine, respectively.
The NDLEA has also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns, spreading awareness in schools, markets, motor parks, worship centers, and communities nationwide.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the efforts of the agency’s commands across the country and urged them to remain vigilant in combating drug cartels and promoting anti-drug abuse initiatives in every community.
