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NDLEA intercepts UK-bound illicit drug consignment in Lagos

Our Reporters2 months ago2 months ago05 mins

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in duvet, packaged for export to the United Kingdom through the cargo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos. Two suspects: Adakole Sunday and Austin Balogun linked to the bid to export the consignment to the UK were promptly arrested following the discovery by NDLEA officers on Tuesday 21st January 2025. Six parcels ofthe psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3.50 kilograms were concealed inside the duvet. In his statement, Austin Balogun who is the main agent who hired Adakole, claimed he was paid N700,000 to cargo the consignment to UK but spent a fraction of the money on export handling charges and the bulk to pay for an apartment. At least, two suspects: Joseph Oluwasegun Adewale and Biodun Adelakun were arrested at Igbo Olumo, Ikorodu area of Lagos when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout in the community where seven litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant, cannabis and opioids, were recovered. Other exhibits seized from the duo include: three locally made double barrel riffles; one locally made double barrel pistol; one English made pistol; one locally made single barrel riffle; three cartridges and one empty 9mm cartridge as well as an iron – head axe. Another raid in Lagos on Sunday 19th January led to the seizure of 47kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46kg Nitrous Oxide popularly known as laughing gas at the notorious Akala area of Mushin. In Ekiti, a 26-year-old suspect Adepoju Taiwo was arrested by NDLEA officers on Thursday 23rd January with 1.950kg Canadian Loud at Iworoko road, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, while Auwal Sani was nabbed by operatives on Monday 20th January at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of Kwara State. A total of 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 36.56kg were recovered from him. A Nigerien, Abubakar Lami, 45, with two others: Abba Sani, 35, and Auwal Aliyu, 32, were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano, while 13.1kg skunk and 125 litres of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance were recovered from them. In Gefen Kasa, Dawakin Kudu council area of Kano state, a cannabis plantation was located and destroyed by a team of NDLEA officers who arrested a suspect, Sabo Ali Muhammad, 45, linked to the farm. Meanwhile, across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week. Instances include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Army Children Secondary School, Oyo, Oyo state; Government Day Secondary School, Gwadangwaji, Kebbi state; Government Day Secondary School, Suleja, Niger state; St. Dominic Comprehensive College, Oron, Akwa Ibom state; District Junior College, Agege, Lagos; and residents of Pompomari community, Damaturu, Yobe stat, among others. While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, and Ekiti Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA social advocacy lectures and sensitization activities in every part of their areas of responsibility.

NDLEA intercepts ex-convict with N4.6billion worth of cocaine at Lagos airport

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago05 mins

Barely 16 months after he was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine, a 48-year-old businessman Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji has been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for importing 817 wraps of the same Class A drug weighing 19.40 kilograms with an estimated street value of Four Billion Six Hundred and Fifty Six Million Naira (N4,656,000,000.00). Ogbuji was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, on Wednesday 10th May 2023 upon arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951 for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.986kg. He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12 Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on 13thJuly 2023. Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00), which he paid and was set free. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the seized 1.986 kilograms cocaine, his international passport, 14 US dollars and 9000 Uganda shillings found on him at the time of his arrest. Not done with crime, Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport on Wednesday 18th September 2024 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos. The suspect had approached the joint examination table with a black travelling bag which was searched by an NDLEA operative who cleared the luggage. In a dubious move, Ogbuji sneaked back to the carousel area to put inside the cleared bag a black backpack he left on the conveyor’s belt. As he made his way out of the arrival hall, vigilant NDLEA officers intercepted him and subjected him to a secondary search. It was then large wraps of excreted cocaine were found concealed inside the backpack hidden in the black travelling bag that was earlier found with the suspect. A total of 817 pellets of cocaine excreted by many traffickers in Addis Ababa weighing 19.40kg belonging to different members of a drug cartel were recovered. During interview with the suspect, he stated that he initially left the backpack containing the drug at the carousel area as a strategy to beat NDLEA operatives, adding that he never knew there could be a secondary search since he had presented his bag for search previously and nothing incriminating was found. He claimed he had to procure a new international passport to continue his criminal trade. Investigation reveals Ogbuji is an unrepentant kingpin within the network of drug cartels operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria and others in the West African sub-region like Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. In his reaction to the arrest of Ogbuji, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA Strategic Command for an excellent job done, adding that the seizure of such a large consignment of cocaine at the airport is a milestone that will send a strong message to the international drug cartels trying to find footholds in Nigeria. He said the Agency will continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country.

NDLEA intercepts N14.9bn opioids, arrests octogenarian, community leader’s wives, son

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago04 mins

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a total of Twenty- Fivr Million (25,000,000.00) pills of tapentadol, an opioid three times stronger than tramadol and Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand (350,000) bottles of codeine- based syrup at the Tincan port complex in Lagos. The seizure were made on Tuesday 17th and Friday 20th September 2024 from three containers which had been on the watchlist of the Agency following processed intelligence. As a result, the NDLEA had requested for 100% joint examination of the shipments with men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies. The 25 million pills of tapentadol have an estimated street value of Thirteen Billion Seven Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Naira (N13,725,000, 000.00) while the codeine consignment us an estimated street value of Two Billion Four Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N2,450,000,000.00), bringing the total value of the seizures to Fourteen Billion Nine Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N14,950,000,000.00). The tapentadol consignment packed in 500cartons was discovered in one of the containers on Tuesday 17th September while another container examined same day contained 175,000 bottles of Barcadin cough syrup with codeine packed in 875cartons. The third container containing 175,000 bottles of CSC cough syrup with codeine was examined on Friday 20th September. Meanwhile, operatives of the Lagos State Strategic Command of the Agency on Friday 29th September arrested an 89-year old grandfather, Oba Aremu Shojobi with 14 kilograms of cannabis at his home in Iyana Ioaja area of the state. In his statement, the Octogenarian claimed he has been in the business of selling illicit drugs for 25 years. He further claimed he get his supplies from Benin Republic, and sells to his customers from his residence between 7am and 10pm every day. In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Wednesday, 18th September raided the two homes of a community leader and Sarkin Yama of Badagry Weat LCDA, Alhaji Bashir Mohammed Taobalinga, where a total of 226kg of cannabis was recovered from his two wives and son. Though Alhaji Talba is currently at Lege, a search of his house in Ashoka area of Seme Badagry led to recovery of 93 compressed blocks of cannabis saliva weighing 57.6kg from his first wife, Asma’u Bashiru, 35, and son, Sadat Bashiru, 22, while ano the search of his house at Aketegbi area of Seme Badagry led to the seizure of 302 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 168.6kg from his second wife Hausa Bashiru, 42.