Categories: AFRICA

NDLEA Arrests Kingpin at Abuja Airport for ingesting 87 Wraps of Cocaine

Ibeh Ejike

A Nigerian,, Ibeh Ejike returning from Kigali, Rwanda has been arrested for ingestion of 87 wraps of cocaine by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The 41-year-old suspect, described by the spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday as narcotrafficker was arrested on Wednesday, 25th August, 2021, upon his arrival on board an Ethiopian Airline flight 911 from Kigali via Addis Ababa.

He was taken in for secondary check during which he tested positive to ingestion of illicit substance, and while under observation excreted 87 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.884 kilogrammes.

Ejike, who his said to import cloths for sale, hails from Owerrizikeala village in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra state.

In another clampdown, a Lagos based drug dealer, Eze Okorie has been arrested following the interception of 4.15 kilogrammes of methamphetamine consignment going to London, the United Kingdom at the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on 13th August.

According to Babafemi, the drug was concealed in tins of tomato branded ‘sunripe’ and packaged for the driver of a freight forwarding company to deliver at the airport export shed for onward movement to the UK.

He said though the freight company’s driver was initially arrested, follow up investigations and subsequent sting operation led to the arrest of the kingpin behind the consignment, Eze Okorie, at his Coker, Surulere, Lagos home on Wednesday 25th August, 2021. He hails from Isu village in Onicha LGA, Ebonyi state.

The NDLEA spokesman said in the agency’s continuation of raids of drug joints across the states last week, in Cross River state, one Anietie Attauba was arrested at Idundu community with 9.9 grammes of cocaine, while 23-year-old Joy Odey was picked at Nassarawa Bakoko Area of Calabar Municipality local government area on Friday 27th August with 500 grammes of skunk.

On the same day, one Ugwuanyi Basil was arrested at AK Divine Park, Harbour Road, Calabar with 2.6 kilogrammes of cannabis; 10.33 grammes of cocaine and 30 millilitres of swinol.

In Abuja, operatives of the FCT Command of the Agency, according to Babafemi, intercepted a Hiace bus conveying bags of cannabis, and 30 parcels of skunk, cumulatively weighing 310 kilogrammes along Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway, where another 32 kilogrammes of Tramadol was equally seized same day.

He said in Anambra state, operatives also raided the Onitsha main market, Marine Line on Thursday 26th August with the support of soldiers, adding that recovered during the raid include: 50 kilogrammes of cannabis; 150 grammes of meth and 27.6 grammes of cocaine, with one of the dealers, Moses Obiahu arrested.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the resilience of the officers and men of the NAIA, MMIA, Anambra, Cross River and FCT Commands of the agency in the latest arrests and seizures, charged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the ongoing offensive action aimed at cutting off availability and accessibility to illicit drugs in all parts of Nigeria.

Michael Olugbode in Abuja