NDLEA intercepts N4.9bn heroin, cocaine at Lagos airport, seaport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted consignments of cocaine and heroin weighing 16.85 kilograms and worth more than N4.9 billion.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesperson, said operatives of the agency intercepted the consignments at the Apapa Seaport and at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Babafemi said while four persons were being investigated for the 13.65kg cocaine seized onboard MV Karteria, a ship that came into the Apapa Port from Santos, Brazil, on Sunday, November 7, five persons were arrested in different parts of Lagos and Delta in connection with the shipment.

He said a consignment of 3.2kg heroin was also found on a passenger, Christian Osondu, at the e-arrival hall of the MMIA on Friday, November 5, during the inward clearance of an Air Peace flight from South Africa.

“A swift follow-up operation on the same day led to the arrest of one Ude Onyeka at Mafoluku area of Oshodi in Lagos,” he said.

“Onyeka confessed that his elder brother, Ikenna Ude, who is based in South Africa, had instructed him to collect the bag containing the drug.

“He confessed also that he was to hand over to another person who was supposed to come from Delta.”

The NDLEA spokesman said a follow-up operation led to the arrest of one Innocent Abanjo who came to Lagos from Delta to pick the bag on Saturday, November 6.

“Abanjo also confessed that he was contracted by one Oseki Chinedu, who is based in South Africa to travel to Lagos to collect the bag and to take it to Agbor junction in Delta,” he said

“The third follow-up operation led to the arrest of Ihator Isioma at Agbor Junction on Sunday, November 7.’’

In Bayelsa, the agency arrested one Emeka Obeluo, a motor spare parts dealer, on Saturday, November 13, with 600 grammes of heroin in Bayelsa.

Obeluo arrived in Yenagoa by sea to allegedly waybill the substance to an undisclosed address in Lagos.

In Rivers state, Babafemi said four suspects were arrested and different quantities of cocaine, Indian hemp, tramadol and methamphetamine were seized from them during weekend raids in parts of the state.

Those arrested are Elizabeth Iniama, King Emmanuel, Godgift King and Amadi Bright.

He also said 18.51kg of illicit drugs were recovered on Saturday, November 13 when operatives raided Bayan Gari and Sir Ahmadu Bello Way in Bauchi.

Two suspects, Gabriel Iwagbunan and Cecilia Ezena, were arrested during the raid.

“A 23-year-old Hadiza Ibrahim was also arrested on Friday, Nov. 12 on the Okene-Lokoja Highway with 54kg of Indian hemp, while one Sunday Nnam a.k.a Idowu was nabbed same day in Emene area of Enugu with 45kg also of Indian hemp,” Babafemi said.

In Gombe, one Umar Muhammad was arrested with 25,700 capsules of Tramadol weighing 15.1kg in the Tudun Hatsi area of the state capital.

Babafemi said that following credible intelligence, two suspects, David Oduku, and Ifeanyi Raphael, were intercepted on the Ore-Sagamu expressway with 364.98kg of Indian hemp being conveyed in a blue Toyota bus.

He said two suspects Buhari Jamiu and Ajibola Jimoh were also arrested on Sunday, November 14 with 189kg of Indian hemp in Ilorin.