NDLEA Nabs 8 Drug Offenders In Abuja, Enugu, Lagos Airports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has disclosed that its operatives apprehended eight drug offenders in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu airports.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi said the suspects were nabbed attempting to import hundreds of cocaine pellets into Nigeria and export thousands of Tramadol 255mg tablets.

According to Babafemi, the gang consists of two ladies and six men who were trying to fine-tune the export of illicit drugs to Europe through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

He said one of the suspects identified as Okechukwu hails from Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North LGA, Enugu State and disclosed that he was into selling women’s wigs and hair attachment before veering into the drug trade.

Also, Lawrence Chijioke, 42, was arrested at the Abuja airport same day in an operational synergy between NDLEA and Nigeria Customs Service at the NAIA.

According to him, Chijioke, who hails from Umuahia in Umuahia LGA, Abia State was arrested during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis Ababa with 529 pellets of cocaine weighing 11.70kg concealed in his bag.

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He further said the NDLEA operatives also arrested 29-year-old Ms. Onuorah Caritas Onyinye at the Enugu Airport upon arrival on Ethiopian airline flight from Addis Ababa, adding that after a search of her luggage, 2.192kilograms of cocaine concealed in two designer’s women handbags with false linings.

“No fewer than four freight agents were arrested in connection with the seizure. They include: Balogun Adesola Olamilekan; Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde; Benjamin Christopher Joel; and Omoniyi Ibukun Abraham.

“Also same day, Monday 18th July, the bid by an Italy-bound passenger Tony Osas to export 10, 250 tablets of Tramadol 255mg to Europe through the Lagos airport was foiled by NDLEA operatives who intercepted him at gate B departure hall during outward clearance of passengers on a Turkish airline flight to Milan,” the statement said

He said a driver, Jamilu Lawal, was arrested in Kaduna on Sunday 17th July along Abuja-Kaduna express road, with 157,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 37.5kg, adding that a follow up operation same day led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Abubakar Isiyaku, in Katsina, as another suspect, Isah Mohammed, was equally arrested same day in Kano during a follow up operation, after the interception of his consignment, 2,500kg rubber solution (solvent) locally called Shalisha in Kaduna.