NDLEA arrests ‘former army officer’ over ‘cannabis possession’ in Delta

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested one Muffat Ekong, identified as a former military officer, over alleged possession of cannabis.

According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman, Ekong was arrested alongside one Frank Iredia Obamwonyi “on Wednesday, 11th August, with 286.3kilograms of cannabis at Ogwashi Uku, Delta state on their way to Enugu state”.

In a related development, Babafemi said, on August 13, the Benue state command of the agency arrested one Eze Victor Ezenwanne, an alleged interstate trafficker, at Apir-Aliade road in Makurdi with 65.436kilograms of diazepam tablets.

“Same day, Adeyemi Segun Olamide was arrested in Maiduguri, Borno state with 650grams of skunk,” it said.

The NDLEA also said it arrested Nnadi Nora Chinyere, who was allegedly in possession of 100 wraps of heroin and two parcels of same substance, at the departure hall of the Murtala Mohammed international airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

“Nnadi was arrested on  August 3, 2021, during an outward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight to Florentine, Italy. The drugs found on her were concealed in five containers of hair relaxer cream,” Babafemi said.

“In the same vein, on Thursday, 12th August, 2021, operatives of the MMIA Command of the Agency intercepted a United Kingdom bound consignment of illicit drugs at the NAHCO export shed of the airport.

“Further investigation reveals the consignment contains 66.600kg of cannabis sativa; 1.600kg heroin and 1.450kg of cocaine with a combined weight of 69.65 kilograms, all concealed inside cosmetics.”

The agency said on August 5, narcotic officers on routine patrol intercepted another consignment of 25.8 kilograms of cocaine and cannabis concealed inside foodstuffs going to London, UK at the NAHCO export warehouse.

Two suspects in a bus from Lagos to Kogi state were also reported arrested on August 7.

“Recovered from the vehicle include six parcels of skunk weighing 3.6kg; 30 pinches of Crack Cocaine weighing 87grams and six sachets of Arizona weighing 265grams,” the statement reads.

Commending the officers for the arrests, Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, “charged them and other commands to sustain the current momentum, assuring them that President Muhammadu Buhari recognises their efforts and would continue to motivate them to do more”.