NDLEA arrests drug couriers, seizes 1m tramadol capsules, 9.9kg cocaine, Meth other substances

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 43-year-old, Onuoha Friday, with one million capsules of Tramadol on Dec. 10 along the Lagos-Benin expressway.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that operatives of the agency also had two major arrests in Anambra, where a total of 238.973kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered.

He said that the NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck conveying the illicit drugs at the Onitsha head bridge heading to Delta on Dec. 3.

He said that various quantities of codeine, tramadol, diazepam and Rohypnol were recovered from the vehicle and its driver, Obinna Obinwa, was arrested.

“Similarly, on Dec. 8, the agency’s patrol team on Onitsha head bridge intercepted another truck going to Delta with different quantities of assorted illicit drugs while the driver, Lucky James, was also arrested.

“In Delta, raids and follow-up operations carried out in parts of the state on Dec. 10 led to the arrest of 17-year-old Abdulkarim Shiabu and 23-year-old Lawal Saidu.

“Both are from the Niger Republic, and four others with different quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, tramadol, and cannabis.

Babafemi said that one Adam Salaudeen was also arrested at Ogori Magongo area in Kogi with 214.7kg of Cannabis sativa.

Another arrest involved a Ghanaian and two Nigerians at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA), Abuja, and at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, respectively for drug trafficking.

Its Director, Media, and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday in Abuja that of 9.953kilograms of cocaine and Methamphetamine were intercepted from the suspects.

He stated that Uzoh Johnson was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at about 5.30 p.m. during an inward screening of Ethiopian Airlines passengers at the Arrival Hall of the Akanu Ibiam Airport.

According to him, Johnson who arrived from Brazil via Addis Ababa was arrested with clothes impregnated with cocaine, which has a gross weight of 6.7 kilograms.

“While being interviewed by narcotic officers, Uzoh said he was given the consignment by his enabler in Brazil for which he would be paid N3 million upon successful delivery to someone in Nigeria,’’ he said.

In the same vein, another trafficker, 53-year-old Udeh Charley was arrested at the Enugu airport for ingesting 72 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.253kilograms.

Babafemi said that he was arrested on Friday, Dec. 3 during outward screening of Ethiopian Airlines passengers going to Rome, via Addis Ababa.

“He claimed he would have been paid 4,000 Euros on the successful delivery of the drugs in Italy where he has been living for more than 20 years.

“He attributed his decision to engage in the ignominious trade on a downward turn of his business as a result of COVID-19 pandemic,’’ he said.

In a related development, another trafficker, 25-year-old John Kadja, whose father was from Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana and mother from Nsukka, Enugu State was arrested on Friday, Dec. 3.

Babafemi stated that the suspect was arrested with two kilograms of Methamphetamine during an outward clearance of Qatar Airways from Abuja to Doha.

“A search of his bag showed that the drug was concealed in a false bottom of his checked-in luggage. He said he was traveling to Doha to work as a laborer.’’

The Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has commended the officers and men of Ondo, Anambra, and Kogi states for the arrests and seizures.

According to the statement, Marwa charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain vigilant and resolute in the collective mission to rid every part of Nigeria of illicit drugs.