NDLEA seizes illicit drug consignments at Airport. •Rescues child trafficking victims

NDLEA seizes illicit drug consignments at Airport.

•Rescues child trafficking victims

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted illicit drug consignments concealed in different items by some transnational drug trafficking cartels, through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport(MMIA), Ikeja and courier companies in Lagos.

The operation led to thwarting of fresh attempts to export various quantities of methamphetamine and skunk by the transnational drug trafficking organisations.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday, said: “At the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on September 12, intercepted an intending passenger going to Oman, Ugwu Tochukwu, while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight.

“Upon a thorough search of his luggage, 7.50 kilograms of skunk were discovered concealed inside crayfish mixed with dry bitter leaf.

“In the same vein, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations attached to some courier companies also intercepted Dubai-bound 2.9 kilograms of skunk and 14 grams of methamphetamine concealed in bags of semovita and soles of ladies’ high heel shoes respectively.

“In Imo State, operatives on patrol on Aba-Owerri expressway on September 13, intercepted five pregnant teenage girls suspected to be victims of child trafficking used as baby factory.

“They were picked up while being relocated from their hideout in Naze area of Owerri to Ikenegbu area of the state capital.

“The victims include Chioma Emmanuel, 15; Uma Faith, 15; Divine Adimonye, 17; Opara Gift, 15 and Amarachi Mbata, 16. In their statements, they claimed they didn’t know the men who impregnated them.

The Imo State command of the agency has since been directed to hand them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, for further investigation.

“While two suspects, Moses Akowe, 32, and Sunday Gabriel, 31, were arrested with 227.1kgs of cannabis on September 11, at Ikebe village, Ankpa LGA, Kogi State, a female suspect, Bilikisu Salako, 35, was nabbed with 108kgs of same substance on September 16, in Ifo area of Ogun State.

“A total of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs and 600 bottles of codeine-based syrup seized from the duo of Salisu Murtala and Shafi’u Dahiru on September 11, on Abuja Road have been traced to two other suspects: Muntari Nasiru and Yusuf Ali who were arrested in follow up operations in Kano.

“In FCT Abuja, a 27-year-old Kingsley Chimaobi was arrested with 6,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup along Lokogoma-Abuja road on September 11.

“Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Lagos on September 13, sentenced to five years imprisonment a drug dealer, Segun Odeyemi for trafficking and dealing in 3,842 kilograms of skunk.

“He was arrested on July 1, while conveying 89 jumbo bags of the illicit substance in his truck around Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki.