Hajj 2024: NDLEA Arrests Pilgrims with Cocaine in Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four individuals intending to participate in the ongoing Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for attempting to smuggle cocaine. The arrests occurred on June 5, 2024, at Emerald Hotel in the Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos State.
The suspects—Usman Kamorudeen (31), Olasunkanmi Owolabi (46), Fatai Yekini (38), and Ayinla Kemi (34)—were caught ingesting cocaine pellets in preparation for their flight to the holy land. NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, raided the hotel and discovered 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.20 kilograms in two rooms. Each room contained 100 wraps of the substance, intended for ingestion by the suspects.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the Lagos State Command for their effective operation. He emphasized that the agency remains vigilant and committed to intercepting those attempting to exploit religious pilgrimages for drug trafficking.
“We will continue to track, trace, and apprehend those using pilgrimage as a cover for drug trafficking,” Marwa stated. “The Agency will also collaborate with our counterparts in Saudi Arabia to ensure that the recipients of seized illicit drug consignments in any part of Saudi Arabia are identified and dealt with accordingly.”
The operation underscores the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and safeguard the integrity of the Hajj pilgrimage.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the Lagos State Command for their effective operation. He emphasized that the agency remains vigilant and committed to intercepting those attempting to exploit religious pilgrimages for drug trafficking.
“We will continue to track, trace, and apprehend those using pilgrimage as a cover for drug trafficking,” Marwa stated. “The Agency will also collaborate with our counterparts in Saudi Arabia to ensure that the