NDLEA Arrests India-Bound Businessman With Cocaine, Seizes N3.6bn Drugs

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.55kg of cocaine to India, while operatives across several states recovered illicit drugs worth more than N3.6 billion in a series of intelligence-led operations.

The businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.

NDLEA said the suspect, who deals in marbles in Lagos, concealed the cocaine in the side walls and railings of his check-in bag.

According to the agency, Onyebuchi confessed that he had sold his marble business and other assets to raise N23 million to purchase the consignment, hoping to sell it in India for about N100 million.

The suspect remains in custody pending prosecution, the agency said.

In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup from a warehouse at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota.

The seizure, made between August 7 and 8, was valued at more than N2.6 billion.

The agency also raided the residence of an alleged drug kingpin, 55-year-old Shoremi Kayode, at Ipaja Estate, Lagos, where 324kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, was recovered.

NDLEA valued the cannabis at N972 million and also seized a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla from the suspect.

In Kwara State, operatives arrested two men, Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, at the Kam Wire area of Ilorin, with 55.96kg of skunk concealed in a truck.

Two other suspects, Abdulfatai Oyelaran, 70, and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, were arrested along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State.

They were intercepted in a Toyota Sienna vehicle containing 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection.

Along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, NDLEA officers also arrested Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, with 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of Rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol.

Another suspect, 50-year-old Emeka Tony, was arrested along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway in Delta State with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million cash.

In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. The driver, identified as Kasum Sherif, was arrested.

Kano State also recorded major seizures, with six suspects arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road.

They were identified as Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39.

The agency said 728,958 pills of tramadol, Rohypnol and other opioids, 360g of cocaine, 99.8g of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7kg of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, were recovered from them.

In another operation in Kano, NDLEA officers raided Zawaciki Gida Dubu in Kumbotso Local Government Area on August 14, recovering 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg.

Two suspects, Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24, were arrested.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms measuring 1.85 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest area of Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested on one of the farms during the operation.

Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested during a raid on drug joints in the Oluku area of Benin City, where 25.857kg of Loud and 93g of methamphetamine were recovered.

The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign also continued during the week, with sensitisation programmes held for students and staff of Madarasatu Sheikh Muhammad Rabi’u Arabic School in Kano and Olomu Junior Secondary School, Ajah, Lagos, among others.

Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), praised personnel in the Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta commands for their efforts.

Marwa also commended NDLEA commands nationwide for maintaining what he described as a balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction initiatives.