March 16, (THEWILL) – Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted multiple drug consignments destined for the United States, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates, concealing narcotics in prayer beads, board games, and female clothing.
A statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that two suspects linked to the smuggling attempts at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, have been arrested.
One of the suspects, 43-year-old businesswoman Jakpor Egware May, was apprehended at the Gate ‘C’ departure hall of the Lagos airport on March 8, while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy.
A search of her luggage led to the discovery of 190 parcels of tramadol 225mg and a parcel of skunk, a strain of cannabis. She later admitted to purchasing the drugs for resale in Italy.
Similarly, on March 11, NDLEA operatives at the MMIA export shed arrested 60-year-old Yahaya Fatai Ayinla while trying to ship clothes laced with 400 grams of skunk to New York, USA.
Further crackdowns at logistics firms in Lagos led to the interception of over two kilograms of Loud, Molly, and Tramadol hidden in Vitamin C bottles and female clothing bound for the U.S. Additional seizures included 230 grams of cocaine concealed in prayer beads, soles of locally made shoes, and board game packs heading to Saudi Arabia, Poland, and the UAE.
In Kano, NDLEA officers arrested 40-year-old Hassan Haruna on March 12, recovering 727 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 479kg in the Chalawa area. Similarly, along the Kabba-Obajana highway in Kogi State, operatives seized 58,300 tramadol pills from a commercial bus en route to Abuja from Lagos.
A raid in Kachia, Kaduna State, on March 13 resulted in the arrest of 21-year-old Idris Hamza with 4,900 pills of tramadol, while another operation in Hayin Banki, Kaduna North LGA, led to the arrest of 25-year-old Aminu Magaji with 2,900 tramadol tablets.
On March 14, officers intercepted 40,200 tramadol pills from Olowoko Faruk and Akeem Ridwan along the Ilorin-Jebba Expressway in Kwara, while 21,700 capsules of the opioid were recovered from one Salisu Usman along Eiyenkorin Expressway, Ilorin.
In Taraba, NDLEA operatives arrested 35-year-old Polycarp Adeku in Kurmi LGA with 15.77kg of skunk, while in Osun, a commercial bus coming from Idumota, Lagos, was intercepted near King University, Ode-Omu, with 48.7kg of Ghanaian Loud, Colorado, and Canadian Loud, all strains of cannabis. Nine suspects were arrested in Osogbo and Ile-Ife during follow-up operations.
In Abuja, 58-year-old Ade Esan, alias Pastor, was arrested along the Gwagwalada Expressway on March 11 with 27,800 tramadol pills, while 26-year-old Usman Mohammed was nabbed in Wuse Zone 3 with quantities of skunk and cocaine.
In Abia, operatives stormed Ntigha community, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA, on March 15, arresting 34-year-old Chinaza Nwogu, also known as Young Money.
Recovered from him were 274 grams of heroin, 141 grams of methamphetamine, 2.9kg of cannabis, 4 grams of cocaine, and a cash exhibit of ₦753,015.
Meanwhile, the agency intensified its *War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across schools, religious centers, and workplaces. Sensitization exercises were held at U.P.E School, Ilara Epe, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Michika, Adamawa; Agbegi High Grammar School, Kogi; Capital City Secondary School, Awka, Anambra; and Eso-Obe Comprehensive High School, Ekiti, among others.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across MMIA, DOGI, Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and FCT Commands for their operational successes. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to curbing drug trafficking and reducing both supply and demand nationwide.
In Kano, NDLEA officers arrested 40-year-old Hassan Haruna on March 12, recovering 727 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 479kg in the Chalawa area. Similarly, along the Kabba-Obajana highway in Kogi State, operatives seized 58,300 tramadol pills from a commercial bus en route to Abuja from Lagos.
A raid in Kachia, Kaduna State, on March 13 resulted in the arrest of 21-year-old Idris Hamza with 4,900 pills of tramadol, while another operation in Hayin Banki, Kaduna North LGA, led to the arrest of 25-year-old Aminu Magaji with 2,900 tramadol tablets.
On March 14, officers intercepted 40,200 tramadol pills from Olowoko Faruk and Akeem Ridwan along the Ilorin-Jebba Expressway in Kwara, while 21,700 capsules of the opioid were recovered from one Salisu Usman along Eiyenkorin Expressway, Ilorin.
In Taraba, NDLEA operatives arrested 35-year-old Polycarp Adeku in Kurmi LGA with 15.77kg of skunk, while in Osun, a commercial bus coming from Idumota, Lagos, was intercepted near King University, Ode-Omu, with 48.7kg of Ghanaian Loud, Colorado, and Canadian Loud, all strains of cannabis. Nine suspects were arrested in Osogbo and Ile-Ife during follow-up operations.
In Abuja, 58-year-old Ade Esan, alias Pastor, was arrested along the Gwagwalada Expressway on March 11 with 27,800 tramadol pills, while 26-year-old Usman Mohammed was nabbed in Wuse Zone 3 with quantities of skunk and cocaine.
In Abia, operatives stormed Ntigha community, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA, on March 15, arresting 34-year-old Chinaza Nwogu, also known as Young Money.
Recovered from him were 274 grams of heroin, 141 grams of methamphetamine, 2.9kg of cannabis, 4 grams of cocaine, and a cash exhibit of ₦753,015.
Meanwhile, the agency intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across schools, religious centers, and workplaces. Sensitization exercises were held at U.P.E School, Ilara Epe, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Michika, Adamawa; Agbegi High Grammar School, Kogi; Capital City Secondary School, Awka, Anambra; and Eso-Obe Comprehensive High School, Ekiti, among others.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across MMIA, DOGI, Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and FCT Commands for their operational successes. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to curbing drug trafficking and reducing both supply and demand nationwide.
