The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two individuals in separate anti-narcotics operations, intensifying its clampdown on drug trafficking across Nigeria’s major airports.
British National Arrested with 37.6kg of Cannabis at Lagos Airport
In a major breakthrough, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday apprehended a 22-year-old British citizen who arrived from Thailand via Doha aboard a Qatar Airways flight. The suspect was found in possession of 35 parcels of “Loud”, a highly potent strain of cannabis, with a total weight of 37.6 kilograms.
According to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the foreign national confessed to having been previously convicted twice in the UK for drug trafficking and robbery. He further disclosed that he was recruited in London to travel to Thailand, collect the drug consignment, and deliver it to Nigeria.
This arrest underscores the growing trend of international drug syndicates attempting to use Nigeria as a transit route for narcotics.
Female Suspect Caught with 2.5kg of Cocaine in Port Harcourt
In a related operation, NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, detained a Nigerian woman on May 3, who attempted to smuggle a large quantity of cocaine to Iran. Disguised in a hijab to evade security checks, the suspect was intercepted while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight to Iran via Doha, based on actionable intelligence.
A search revealed she had three wraps of cocaine inserted in her private parts, while two more large parcels were found hidden in false compartments of her handbag. Upon further observation, she excreted 67 wraps of the drug over several days, bringing the total weight to 2.523 kilograms.
She admitted that she was instructed to swallow 70 wraps but only managed 67 and inserted the remaining three internally.
NDLEA Expands War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Campaign
Meanwhile, the NDLEA continued its nationwide advocacy efforts under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign. Sensitisation lectures were held in schools including Federal Government College, Sokoto; Deeper Life International College, Nteje, Anambra; Martins Sanda Girls Science College, Paikoro, Niger; and Restoration Power International School, Idua Eket, Akwa Ibom.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officials engaged members of the League of Imams and Alfas with an enlightenment session at the Iseyin Central Mosque, reinforcing the role of religious and community leaders in the fight against drug abuse.
These coordinated operations and educational campaigns mark NDLEA’s sustained commitment to curbing drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria.