Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended no fewer than nine suspected drug traffickers who were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a statement which was issued on Monday, the agency revealed that no fewer than 12 members of different trafficking syndicates were also arrested in connection with some seizures, including a 35-year-old physically challenged lady, Kasarachi Onumajuru, who hid under her condition to deal drugs in Umudumaonu community, in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
‘First on the list of those arrested in connection to seizures at the two airports is one Ofor Chima-Chileobi, who had on Friday, May 20, attempted to export 200 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 30.20kg concealed in 40 sacks of bitter leaf to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through the SAHCO export shed, a cargo wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
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‘On the same day, 10 cartons of khat with a gross weight of 354.600kg were seized at the NAHCO import shed of the airport.
‘The following day, Saturday, May 21, a freight agent, Roland Orinami, was arrested by NDLEA operatives attached to the local wing of the Lagos airport with 1.90kg loud, a variant of cannabis, factory-packed in some bottles while trying to send the same via a flight to Abuja,’ the statement added.
Meanwhile, a follow-up operation in Abuja led to the arrest of a taxi driver, Nsikak Evans, who was sent to collect the consignment.
His confession reportedly led to the arrest of the actual owner, Adesanya Olakunle-Isaac, at his residence in the Life Camp area of Abuja.
Olakunle-Isaac, who claimed to be into Information Technology, reportedly accepted ownership of the seized drug, which he said was meant for an upcoming birthday party of one of his friends.
The NDLEA said another freight agent, Moshood Azeez-Olaide, was arrested at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Tuesday, May 24, after presenting a cargo containing psychotropic substances heading for Dubai.
The illegal consignment was packed into other items such as can drinks, liquid bitters and other non-controlled drugs.
The seized drugs include tramadol 225mg, rohypnol and MDMA.
A follow-up operation later led to the arrest of another suspect, Olagboye Selim, who was linked to the crime.
On the same day, operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service at NAHCO import shed transferred 15 cartons of khat leaf with a gross weight of 256.70kg, which came into the country on Royal Air Moroc to the NDLEA command at the airport.
The previous day, Monday, May 23, another freight agent, Lasebikan Felix-Gbenga, was reportedly arrested with 200 bottles of pentazocine injection, with a brand name Drutapent, weighing 1.05kg. The consignment was heading for the United States of America.
Another agent, Akuta Chioma-Lucy, was on Thursday, May 26, arrested at the SAHCO export shed while attempting to export 14.75kg of khat concealed inside other vegetable leaves and food condiments such as bitter leaf, scent leaf, and pepper, all packed in bags for shipment to the United Kingdom.