- NDLEA Arrests 74 Year Old Man with 11kg Cocaine at Abuja Airport
- Intercepts 339,800 Bottles of Codeine at Apapa Port
- Arrests Suspects in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo Operations
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 74 year old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after a large quantity of cocaine was discovered concealed in his luggage.
Eko Hot Blog reports on the septuagenarian was apprehended at the departure hall while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 bound for London on Saturday.
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According to the agency, officers who searched his luggage discovered blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kg hidden inside food items such as ground dried pepper. The drugs were carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons to avoid detection.
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence arrested a woman, Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites while allegedly attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
She was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. Investigations later revealed that the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently arrested the same day. Authorities said he admitted ownership of the drugs and was previously convicted for a similar offence in 2015.
Further operations by NDLEA officers led to the arrest of two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebetu Ero on Lagos Island where 68,000 pills of tramadol were recovered as they prepared to transport the drugs to the Benin Republic.
A follow up raid at Idumota Market led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, with 1,000 tablets of tramadol recovered from a parcel prepared for delivery.
Another raid in the same market resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
In Kano, NDLEA officers arrested Magaji Dan Azumi, 42, with 386 kg of skunk, while another suspect, Isah Wako, 42, was arrested in Gwagwalada, Abuja, with 282.2 kg of the same substance.
Meanwhile in Edo State, operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where Chinedo Odalonu was arrested and 4,218.96 kg of skunk destroyed on two farms, with 16.5 kg recovered.
The agency also intercepted 339,800 bottles of codeine based syrup hidden in two containers at the Apapa Port during a joint examination involving NDLEA officers and the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Director of Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the operations in a statement on Sunday.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers across the Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo and FCT commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain efforts aimed at reducing both drug supply and demand across the country.
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