By HeapNews
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted an international drug syndicate’s attempt to smuggle 845 wraps of cocaine, weighing 18.72 kilograms and valued at over N4.49 billion, into Nigeria. The seizure took place on October 29, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. NDLEA operatives, with the support of Ethiopian Airlines, discovered the drugs hidden in the lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The consignment was concealed in nine polythene bags inside the waste collectors of the plane’s rear lavatories. The discovery led to the questioning of 30 suspects in connection with the crime. NDLEA investigations revealed that the drugs were transported from Brazil to Ethiopia by couriers who ingested the narcotics and then excreted them in Addis Ababa, where other traffickers collected the packages for delivery into Nigeria.
This Lagos airport seizure was part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking networks across Nigeria. The NDLEA also thwarted syndicates attempting to export cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol concealed in body cream containers and artwork to Australia, the UAE, and the UK through courier companies in Lagos on October 28.
NDLEA agents also intercepted 754,000 pills of the opioid tapentadol and acetaminophen at Apapa seaport in Lagos. Valued at N525 million, the drugs were detected in a container shipped from India, following collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies.
The NDLEA’s efforts extended beyond Lagos. In Abuja, a 24-year-old suspect, Mujahid Hamisu, was apprehended on the Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway with 147,000 tramadol pills concealed in bags of plumbing materials. On the same day, NDLEA operatives in Giri junction arrested Seun Abimbola, 47, with 512 grams of methamphetamine.
The crackdown continued in Kogi State, where Mercy Ameh, 28, was arrested on the Kabba-Obajana highway with fake currency worth N4.35 million. Another arrest involved Shaibu Dahiru, 27, who was caught on the Lokoja-Okene-Abuja road with 68 blocks of cannabis weighing 27.4 kilograms.
Across northern and southern states, NDLEA units apprehended suspects and seized narcotics. In Katsina, NDLEA officers arrested notorious drug dealer Usman Abba, known as “Timaya,” with cannabis at Liberty Hotel, while in Adamawa, operatives detained Augustine Dike, 31, with methamphetamine. In Taraba, Danlami Fakwa, 46, was caught with 49.795 kilograms of cannabis in Jalingo, and in Ondo, 561 kilograms of cannabis was found in a Sienna bus.
The NDLEA’s Kaduna command arrested Kabiru Yusuf, 25, with 51,813 tramadol and exol pills, while raids in Edo led to cannabis seizures totaling nearly 912 kilograms.
Meanwhile, NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, holding educational sessions at schools, places of worship, and workplaces nationwide. Outreach events were conducted in secondary schools in Adamawa, Niger, Abia, Oyo, and Ebonyi states, aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA Chairman and CEO, commended the agency’s officers for their vigilance and dedication, urging them to maintain their focus on combating drug trafficking and expanding the reach of the WADA initiative across the country. The series of arrests and seizures underscore the NDLEA’s commitment to disrupting drug networks and protecting Nigerian communities from the scourge of drug abuse.