Arrests Businesswoman, Dispatch Riders, and Several Others Nationwide in Major Drug Busts
In a string of coordinated operations across the country, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs concealed in various unconventional items, arrested multiple suspects, and foiled several smuggling attempts through Nigeria’s airports and highways.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted a consignment of cocaine and tramadol 225mg tablets ingeniously concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors. The cargo was bound for Libreville, Gabon via Air Côte d’Ivoire. The initial seizure on Saturday, July 19, uncovered 57,420 tramadol pills and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg. A prominent cargo agent, Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict, was arrested in connection with the shipment.
Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah, whose residence yielded an additional 11 cocaine parcels (1kg) concealed in side mirrors. This brought the total haul to 68 parcels, weighing 2.60kg.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a businesswoman, Mrs. Nwafor Roseann Nneka, at her shop in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos. The arrest followed the earlier seizure of 100 grams of cocaine and 300 grams of phenacetine (a cutting agent) on July 10, hidden in lipsticks destined for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Two cargo agents were earlier picked up before Mrs. Nneka, who admitted her role in the concealment scheme allegedly run in collaboration with her husband, Remigus Nwafor, now on the run.
In Abuja, three dispatch riders—Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28—were arrested on July 30 for distributing illicit substances in Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa. They were found with 149.8 grams of “Canadian Loud,” a potent cannabis strain. Two more suspects, Aliyu Abubakar, 25, and Adekunle Agbabiaka, 30, were nabbed along the Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway with 91.1kg of skunk.
The crackdown extended to other states:
- Lagos: Joseph Michael was arrested in Mushin with 3.3kg of “Colorado,” a synthetic cannabis strain. Ibrahim Sulaiman was caught in Yaba with 16.5 litres of “skuchies,” a locally brewed drug cocktail.
- Benue: Hussein Yusuf, 37, was arrested with 100,000 tramadol capsules at a checkpoint along Vandeikya-Ogoja road.
- Edo: A warehouse raid in Ekpoma led to the arrest of William Alabi, 44, and the seizure of 233.5kg of skunk.
- Borno: At the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri, Umar Aminu, 38, was arrested with 160 tramadol pills concealed in footwear.
- Ogun: Yahaya Aminat Seyi was caught with 7,218 pills of opioids during a raid in Oja Odan.
- Oyo: Oladeji Saka, 54, was arrested with 77.5kg of skunk in Ibadan.
- Delta: Benson Izah, 40, was found in possession of 12.5kg skunk, 1kg tramadol, and 14.4 litres of codeine in Abraka.
- Bayelsa: Chief Emeka Opara, 52, and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, were arrested in Amassoma with 41,705 tramadol capsules and other opioids.
- Kano: Bashir Gambo, 30, was arrested in Yar Yasa town, Tudun Wada LGA, with 61kg skunk.
- Osun: Kabiru Ayinde, 40, and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were apprehended in Iwo town with 90kg skunk, 36.3 grams of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus, and ₦228,200 in cash.
Meanwhile, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces, and communities across Yobe, Sokoto, Borno, Enugu, and Osun States.
Commending the operations, NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised officers for their “dedication, intelligence, and resilience” and encouraged continued efforts in the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.