NDLEA operatives arrest ‘wanted drug trafficker’ inside Lagos church

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected drug trafficker who allegedly attempted to export 69.65kg of cocaine, heroin, and cannabis to the UK.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday, said the suspect was arrested at a church in Lagos.

He said the wanted suspect, Stephen Afam Ikeanyionwu, was traced to a pentecostal church in the Ojodu area of the state.

Babafemi said a consignment of drugs intercepted at Lagos airport on Thursday was traced to Ikeanyionwu.

“Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, had traced the wanted drug dealer, Stephen Afam Ikeanyionwu, on Sunday 15th August, 2021, to a popular pentecostal church at Mike Ajari street, Ojodu Berger, where they arrested him soon after he stepped out of the church service,” the statement reads.

“His arrest followed the interception of a consignment of illicit drugs weighing 69.65kg going to the UK through the Lagos airport on Thursday, 12th August, 2021. The illegal baggage had been sent to the airport for export through a freight forwarding company, which in turn gave a driver to deliver at the NAHCO export shed.

“Following the arrest of the driver, follow up operations and investigations later revealed the true identity of the actual owner of the consignment, Stephen Afam Ikeanyionwu, who was arrested three days later in a sting operation.”

Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives also arrested an Italy-bound passenger, Abibu Miminu, for ingesting illicit drugs.

He said 840 grams of methamphetamine going to Australia were intercepted at two courier companies in Lagos while one kilogram of UK-bound cocaine concealed in four local guitars was also seized.

The NDLEA spokesman added that operatives also carried out operations in Edo, Ondo, Kaduna, Kano and Kogi states in the past week.

Editor’s note: The featured image was used for illustrative purposes.