By HeapNews
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested three suspects attempting to smuggle cocaine and cannabis through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Among the culprits are two businessmen and a Canada-based nurse, involved in separate incidents aimed at trafficking illicit substances.
On October 15th, 2024, Ihejirika Okechukwu Emmanuel, a 51-year-old businessman frequently traveling to Thailand for fish importation, was apprehended by NDLEA officers while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Thailand. A body scan revealed he had ingested five large wraps of cocaine weighing 400 grams. During questioning, Ihejirika confessed his motive: “I was to be paid for delivering the drugs in Thailand, and I needed the money to support my fish importation business.”
Just two days later, Iwuagwu Ikedi Victory, a 26-year-old businessman, was arrested after arriving from Brazil. Victory, who had ingested 30 wraps of cocaine, excreted 29 in Addis Ababa before arriving in Nigeria. He admitted he was to receive N2.5 million for trafficking the drugs.
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In another case, Usman Grace Khadijat Olami, a Canadian-based nurse, was detained on October 4th during an NDLEA search of passengers arriving from Toronto. Officers found 70 parcels of synthetic cannabis, commonly known as “Loud,” weighing 35.70kg hidden in her luggage. Usman admitted to carrying the drugs on behalf of her boyfriend, who had instructed her to smuggle them into Nigeria.
Beyond the airport, NDLEA’s recent operations at Nigeria’s seaports led to the seizure of narcotics worth billions of naira. In Lagos and Rivers State, operatives intercepted shipments of codeine syrup and opioids with a combined street value of N7 billion. These seizures were part of a nationwide operation that also saw raids in Bauchi, Ondo, and Edo states, yielding arrests and further drug confiscations.
While commending the officers involved, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa praised their efforts in reducing both drug supply and demand. “These operational successes demonstrate the agency’s balanced approach to fighting the drug menace in our country,” he said.
In light of its ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) awareness campaigns in schools, communities and workplaces, NDLEA recently carried out a sensitization exercises in Oyo, Kano, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Kwara States to highlight the agency’s commitment to tackling drug-related issues across Nigeria.