The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol hidden in vehicle side mirrors, lipsticks, and footwears in a string of operations that led to multiple arrests across Lagos, Abuja, and several states.
Spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, intercepted a consignment headed to Libreville, Gabon, containing 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors.
The agency noted that the shipment was seized on 19th July, leading to the arrest of cargo agent Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict. Follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah, from whose residence an additional 11 parcels of cocaine weighing 1kg were recovered. The total haul of cocaine reached 2.60kg across 68 parcels.
In a separate case, NDLEA operatives arrested a businesswoman, Nwafor Roseann Nneka, at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos, after tracing a July 10 consignment of cocaine and phenacetine concealed in ladies’ lipsticks bound for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
Two cargo agents were earlier arrested. While Nneka was reported to have confessed to purchasing the lipsticks used for concealment, her husband and accomplice, Remigus Nwafor, remains at large.
Elsewhere, operatives in Abuja arrested three dispatch riders—Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28—caught distributing 149.8 grams of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, across Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa. Two other suspects were also apprehended on the Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway with 91.1kg of skunk.
The agency added that further arrests were recorded across several states. In Lagos, Joseph Michael was caught in Mushin with 3.3kg of Colorado, while Ibrahim Sulaiman was arrested in Yaba with 16.5 litres of skuchies. In Benue, Hussein Yusuf, 37, was nabbed at a checkpoint with 100,000 tramadol capsules. Edo operatives seized 233.5kg of skunk from a warehouse in Ekpoma and arrested William Alabi, 44.
At the Maiduguri airport in Borno, Umar Aminu, 38, was caught with 160 tramadol pills concealed in footwears. In Ogun, Yahaya Aminat Seyi was found with 7,218 pills of opioids in the Oja Odan area. In Oyo, 77.5kg of skunk was recovered from Oladeji Saka in Ibadan. In Delta, Benson Izah, 40, was arrested in Abraka with skunk, tramadol, and 14.4 litres of codeine.
In Bayelsa, Chief Emeka Opara, 52, and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, were apprehended in Amassoma with 41,705 tramadol capsules. In Kano, Bashir Gambo, 30, was caught with 61kg of skunk. Finally, in Osun, Kabiru Ayinde, 40, and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were arrested at Ile-Ogbo in Iwo with 90kg of skunk, 36.3 grams of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus, and N228,200 in cash.
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign nationwide. It said activities were held in schools, religious centres, transport hubs, and royal palaces, including a visit to the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdurasheed Adewale Akanbi.
Commending officers across the MMIA, MBIAM, FCT, and various state commands, NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), urged continued commitment to a balanced approach in tackling drug trafficking and abuse.
