NDLEA Busts Spain-Bound Cocaine Consignment Recovered at MMIA

A significant drug bust was carried out by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. On July 25, 2024, a Spain-based businessman, Francis Akajiobi, aged 50, was apprehended at Terminal 2’s departure hall. Akajiobi, preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Madrid, Spain, was found with 1.20 kilograms of cocaine ingeniously hidden in his sandals.

The cocaine, meticulously concealed in the soles of Akajiobi’s black sandals, was discovered during a routine check by NDLEA operatives. Upon questioning, Akajiobi revealed that the illicit consignment was handed to him at a bar in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He claimed he was to deliver the drugs to a friend and neighbor in Spain, for which he would receive a payment of €5,000 upon successful delivery. This arrest underscores the creative yet desperate measures employed by drug traffickers to smuggle narcotics across borders.

NDLEA Nabs Lagos-Ghana Tramadol Syndicate Kingpin

In a strategic operation targeting international opioid smuggling syndicates, NDLEA operatives arrested Chukwuemaka Obodozie, a prominent figure in the Lagos-Ghana tramadol trafficking network. On July 21, 2024, Obodozie was apprehended at Cele bus stop along the Oshodi-Apapa express road in Lagos. His arrest followed five months of intensive surveillance and intelligence gathering by the NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit.

Obodozie was found in possession of 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg, hidden in two bags. These tablets were smuggled from Ghana to Lagos via a transport company operating on the Lagos-Ghana route. The arrest highlights the sophisticated and organized nature of international drug trafficking syndicates, which use transport companies to move large quantities of opioids into Nigeria. The NDLEA’s operation not only disrupted this syndicate but also shed light on the intricate networks involved in opioid smuggling across West African borders.

Massive Cannabis Bust in Osun State

In a significant crackdown on illegal cannabis cultivation, NDLEA operatives raided Owena Forest in Oriade LGA, Osun State, on July 26, 2024. During the operation, 31,250 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed on 12.5 hectares of farmland. Additionally, 84 kilograms of processed cannabis sativa and a single-barrel Dane gun were recovered. This raid led to the arrest of 17 suspects involved in the illegal operation.

The arrested individuals included Peter Osuya, 51; Zebron Ode, 46; Dogo Reuben Matthew, 35; Isaac Terna; Joseph David Lawrence, 27; Ugochukwu Victory, 24; Olamilekan Abolarin, 26; Dele Ayibo, 44; Ojo Moses, 21; Nini Ayila, 27; Msughve Clement, 23; Chuks Ogeneku, 40; Dada Aribo, 20; Uche Endurance, 30; Patrick Agba, 21; Osakwe Kennedy, 45; and Ojo Babatunde, 29. This operation underscores the NDLEA’s commitment to eradicating illegal drug cultivation and distribution within Nigeria. The agency’s efforts are crucial in combating the widespread cultivation of cannabis, which poses significant challenges to public health and safety in the region.

Major Seizures and Arrests by NDLEA in Kaduna, Kano, and Lagos

In a significant operation on Saturday, July 27, NDLEA operatives on a stop-and-search patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway intercepted Ubaida Aliyu, a 32-year-old woman, in possession of 573 rounds of 7.60 live ammunition. Aliyu confessed to attempting to deliver the ammunition to bandits in Sokoto, highlighting the dangerous intersection of drug trafficking and armed banditry in the region. This arrest underscores the ongoing security challenges in northern Nigeria and the vital role of NDLEA in mitigating these threats.

Additionally, Godwin Udochukwu, 35, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 25,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection along the same highway. This potent drug, often abused for its analgesic and euphoric effects, is part of a larger problem of prescription drug abuse in Nigeria. Another suspect, Alkasim Mikailu, 35, was apprehended in Kano during a follow-up operation after 37,880 ampoules of Diazepam injection were seized along the Abuja-Kaduna highway. These arrests illustrate the extensive network of drug trafficking across key Nigerian highways.

Widespread NDLEA Operations Across Nigeria

On Friday, July 26, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Abioye Adeniyi, 39, and Rafiu Lekan, 41, along the Badagry-Seme road in Lagos with 55 jumbo wraps of Ghana Loud, a highly potent strain of cannabis. The same day, Samson Ifeayi Egwutouhi, 30, was caught with 20 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 10.5 kg along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway. These seizures reflect the ongoing efforts of the NDLEA to curtail the widespread distribution of cannabis and other illicit drugs across Nigeria.

In Bauchi State, two suspects, Suleiman Yahaya, 50, and Ibrahim Bello (a.k.a Special), 35, were arrested on Thursday, July 25, with 315 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 204.75 kg along the Maiduguri bye-pass in Bauchi town. These large-scale seizures demonstrate the NDLEA’s dedication to intercepting and dismantling drug supply chains throughout the country, targeting both small-scale peddlers and major drug traffickers.

NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Campaign

The NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign continued its momentum with a series of sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities. Recent initiatives included WADA enlightenment lectures for students of Government Secondary School, Gada, Sokoto State; pupils of Holy Trinity Primary School, Aroje, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; students of Holy Innocent Juniorate, Nkpor Onitsha, Anambra State; and students of Government Christian Secondary School, Shuwa Madagali, Adamawa State. Additionally, commercial motorcycle riders at Oke Afo, Badagry, Lagos State, were educated on the dangers of drug abuse.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, MMIA, Osun, Bauchi, Kogi, Seme, and Kaduna Commands for their relentless efforts. Marwa praised the balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction activities, urging the agency’s personnel to sustain their momentum in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.