The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Onyebuchi, with 1.55 kilogrammes of cocaine allegedly concealed in the walls and railings of his luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Onyebuchi, who reportedly deals in marble, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
According to the NDLEA, its officers discovered the cocaine during a search of his check-in luggage after the substance was found factory-fitted into the bag.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said the suspect confessed to selling his marble business and other assets to raise ₦23 million to purchase the consignment, which he allegedly intended to sell in India for up to ₦100 million.
He said, “Nwankwo said he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the ₦23 million he paid for the consignment, with the expectation of selling it in India for as much as ₦100 million.”
The suspect remains in NDLEA custody and is expected to face prosecution.
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse located within a residential compound on Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota.
The operation, conducted between Friday, August 7, and Saturday, August 8, led to the recovery of 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup. The agency valued the seizure at more than ₦2.6 billion.
The agency also disclosed the arrest of a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, during a raid on his residence at Ogundare Street, Ipaja Estate, Lagos.
According to the NDLEA, officers recovered 324kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at ₦972 million. A Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla were also seized.
Beyond Lagos, the agency reported several arrests and drug seizures across Kwara, Oyo, Delta, Plateau, Kano and Edo states.
In Kwara, two suspects, Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, were arrested on August 13 in the Kam Wire area of Ilorin. They were allegedly found with 55.96kg of skunk concealed in a truck.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Abdulfatai Oyelaran, 70, and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on August 12.
The agency said 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from their Toyota Sienna vehicle.
In Delta State, two suspects, Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, were intercepted along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway on August 13.
NDLEA said the operation yielded 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of tramadol injection.
Another suspect, Emeka Tony, 50, was arrested along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway with 1,244 cartridges and ₦8 million, according to the agency.
In Plateau State, operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. A suspect, identified as Kasum Sherif, was arrested.
Meanwhile, six suspects were arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road in Kano State on August 10. NDLEA said officers recovered 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol and other opioids, alongside 360 grammes of cocaine, 99.8 grammes of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7kg of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain.
Another operation in Kano led to the recovery of 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg at Zawaciki Gida Dubu in Kumbotso Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested.
In Edo State, the agency said it destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk from two cannabis farms covering about 1.85 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest area of Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested during the operation.
Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested in the Oluku area of Benin City with 25.857kg of Loud and 93 grammes of methamphetamine.
The NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse campaign also continued during the week, with sensitisation programmes held for students and staff of schools in Kano and Lagos.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations across the affected states.
Marwa also praised personnel for combining drug supply reduction operations with demand reduction initiatives aimed at preventing drug abuse.
