The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two brothers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for attempting to smuggle 5 kilograms of cocaine to India.
The suspects, John Abugu, 43, and Kenneth Abugu, 31, were caught on Thursday, 3 April 3, with the illicit drug concealed in the walls of their suitcases.
This was contained in a statement shared by Femi Babafemi, the Director, Media & Advocacy on Sunday.
According to the NDLEA, the brothers claimed they were traveling for medical treatment, but a search by operatives revealed whitish powdery substances later confirmed to be cocaine.
On the same day, NDLEA officers at MMIA also arrested a 20-year-old Ghanaian-British national, Parker Darren Hazekia Osei, with 19.4kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis.
The drugs were found packed in 36 parcels inside a large suitcase. Osei, who claims to be a Computer Science student at East London University, said he left the UK for Bangkok about a week ago and picked up the consignment there for delivery in Nigeria.
He was arrested upon arrival on an Ethiopian Airlines flight at the E-arrival hall of the Lagos airport.
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In a separate operation in Kogi State, NDLEA officers arrested a 33-year-old woman, Ngozi Ogili, with 3kg of methamphetamine.
She was caught on 31 March, while traveling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Abuja along the Okene-Lokoja highway.
A follow-up operation at the delivery point in Apo mechanic area of Abuja led to the seizure of additional quantities of Loud and Colorado, two synthetic strains of cannabis.
On 5 April, a 75-year-old man, Nna Nnanna Felix, in Abia State was arrested with 1.6kg of skunk during a raid at Umunteke Asa in Ukwa West Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, another suspect, David Chinemerem, 21, was also arrested on 1 April, with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine at 7 Nnajiego Lane, Umuode Road, Aba.
Further operations in Yobe State led to the arrest of Abdullahi Adamu on Saturday, 5 April, along the Potiskum-Damaturu road. NDLEA operatives found 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol in his possession.
In Anambra State, raids at the Osogbo motor park, Onitsha, and a house in Oba, Idemili LGA, led to the arrest of Obinna Sunday and the seizure of 195,000 pills of tramadol. Another suspect, Ugochukwu Ojalanonye, was found with 4.2kg of codeine syrup and 5.4kg of pentazocine.
Also, 51-year-old Sunday Ayogu was arrested in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on April 3, at Wuse Market with 25kg of skunk and 90.4g of methamphetamine.
While in Cross River State, two women—Faith Effiong Etim, 64, and Victoria Asuquo Etim, 40—were arrested during a raid on cannabis farms in Esuk-Odot community, Odukpani LGA. Over 250,000 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed across more than 100 hectares of farmland during the operation, which was supported by the Nigerian Army.
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across the country with sensitization programmes in schools, religious centers, workplaces, and communities.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the MMIA, Special Operations Unit, and various state commands for their efforts.
He highlighted the importance of balancing drug supply reduction with public education and rehabilitation to win the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria.
