Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two Brazil returnees, a businesswoman, and several other suspects in multiple operations that led to the seizure of large quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, skunk, and opioids across different states of the federation.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, two suspects, Ofoma Sunday (46) and Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, were placed under observation after body scans confirmed drug ingestion. Ofoma, who arrived from Brazil via Ethiopia on September 16, excreted a total of 111 wraps of heroin weighing 1.452kg over eight excretions. He was traced to an Amuwo Odofin hotel, where NDLEA operatives arrested Nweke Jude Chukwudi (55), the handler assigned to recover the drugs.
Similarly, Ikechukwu, intercepted on September 19 during inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers from Brazil, excreted five wraps of cocaine weighing 145g. He admitted that he initially concealed nine wraps but had to discard some during transit due to severe anal pains.
In another Lagos airport operation, NDLEA officers, working with Aviation Security, arrested Okolonkwo Ebere Theresa on September 14 while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Doha. She was found with 1.40kg of methamphetamine concealed in butt pad underwear. Ebere, a trader and POS operator from Enugu, confessed she was recruited into the illicit trade.
NDLEA also intercepted outbound shipments at Lagos cargo terminals. On September 15, 40 wraps of methamphetamine (2.30kg) concealed in food items and destined for Hong Kong were seized, with Umelo Ifeanyi Venatus (59) arrested. On September 18, officers uncovered 257g of cocaine hidden inside phone chargers bound for New Zealand.
Beyond Lagos, NDLEA intensified its operations nationwide. In Adamawa, over 233,800 pills of tramadol were seized in three separate raids, including 195,600 pills abandoned in a Toyota Sienna and more recovered from suspects Rita Zira and Halilu Abubakar (22).
In Zamfara, operatives backed by Community Protection Guards seized 109 bags of skunk weighing 1,099.4kg from Hammed Danladi Aliyu (40) along Gummi–Daki Takwas road.
Yobe officers arrested Babangida Usman and Ismail Ibrahim with 14,000 tramadol capsules, while in Taraba, Anas Hamisu (28) was caught with 25.5kg of skunk.
In Edo, two cannabis farms spanning over 4.5 hectares in Atororo forest, Owan West LGA, were destroyed. The farms were estimated to yield 11,330kg of cannabis, while suspects Mathew Onoja (56), Moses Thomas Male (18), and Friday Uchenjin (38) were arrested.
Meanwhile, NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization continued nationwide, with advocacy campaigns in Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Benue, Kano, and an official visit by Zone 11 Command to Enugu First Lady, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), hailed the officers and men involved in the successful operations. He said the arrests and seizures underscore the Agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks targeting Nigerian youths and tarnishing the country’s global image.
“These arrests and seizures represent a significant milestone in our effort to dismantle drug trafficking organizations. We will continue to pursue those bent on destroying our youths with illicit substances until they can no longer operate,” Marwa said.