The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old Lagos businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, with 1.55kg of cocaine concealed inside the walls and railings of his luggage while attempting to travel to New Delhi, India.
The arrest was made at the departure hall of Terminal II, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, as Nwankwo prepared to board a Qatar Airways flight. NDLEA said the cocaine was factory-fitted into the structure of his check-in bag.
According to the agency, the suspect, who trades in marble in Lagos, confessed that he had sold his business and other assets to raise ₦23 million to purchase the cocaine consignment, hoping to sell it in India for up to ₦100 million. He remains in custody pending prosecution.
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₦2.6bn Codeine Warehouse Raided
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence raided a warehouse in a residential compound at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace, Okota, where they discovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
The controlled substance, recovered between August 7 and 8, was valued at more than ₦2.6 billion, according to the agency.
In another Lagos operation, NDLEA officers raided the residence of a suspected drug kingpin, 55-year-old Shoremi Kayode, at Ipaja Estate, recovering 324kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with an estimated street value of ₦972 million.
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Two vehicles—a Mercedes-Benz and Toyota Corolla—were also recovered.
Major Opioid Seizures in Oyo and Kano
NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway arrested 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, in a Toyota Sienna.
The vehicle contained 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection.
In Kano, six suspects arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road were found with large quantities of opioids, including 728,958 pills of tramadol and rohypnol, as well as 360g of cocaine, 99.8g of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
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Another operation in Kano’s Kumbotso Local Government Area resulted in the recovery of 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg and the arrest of Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24.
Edo Cannabis Farms Destroyed
In Edo State, NDLEA destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms covering 1.851591 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest area of Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested during the operation.
Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested during a raid on drug joints in the Oluku area of Benin City with 25.857kg of Loud and 93g of methamphetamine.
Further Seizures Across Oyo, Plateau and Delta
Along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, NDLEA recovered 124,100 tramadol pills, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of rohypnol, 4,800 diazepam tablets, 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol from Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18.
On the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway, officers arrested Emeka Tony, 50, with 1,244 cartridges and ₦8 million.
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In Plateau State, NDLEA intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road, recovering 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol, and arrested Kasum Sherif.
In Kwara, Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, were arrested at Kam Wire in Ilorin with 55.96kg of skunk concealed in a truck.
NDLEA Says Operations Will Continue
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended officers involved in the operations across Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta.
Marwa also praised NDLEA commands nationwide for maintaining what he described as a balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction, including public education through the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
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The agency said its WADA activities during the week included sensitisation lectures for students and staff of schools in Kano and Ajah, Lagos, among other locations.
NDLEA said the latest arrests and seizures form part of its continuing nationwide effort to disrupt drug trafficking networks, intercept illicit substances and prevent controlled drugs from reaching communities.
