The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has detained 35 people on suspicion of trafficking in a variety of illegal narcotics and substances.
Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, announced this, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
According to Babafemi, agents intercepted a shipment of 11.90 kg of heroin and 500 grammes of skunk that were hidden in deep freezers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
He claimed that the pills were a part of a shipment that flew into Ethiopia on Tuesday from South Africa, via Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
Additionally, he stated that the sniffer dogs of the agency had been sent out to find the place where the contraband had been concealed in the cargo, and they had promptly located the boxes packed in the deep freezers.
“A total of four suspects that played active roles in the movement of the drugs and a truck driver, have been arrested so far in connection with the seizure.
“They include: Dairo Quam; Oluwaseun Ogunmene; Adeleke Abdulrasaq; Bamidele Adewale and Oluwafemi Ogunmeru,” Babafemi said.
Aigbedion Philomena was detained on Thursday by NDLEA agents stationed at the MMIA’s Gate C Departure Hall. Philomena was travelling to Italy through Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
“When her bags containing body cream, hair attachments, drinks, and some food items were searched, a total of 1.20 kg of tramadol capsules, concealed inside a gift wrapping sheet and covered with old daily newspapers, were discovered, ” he said.
The NDLEA spokesman further reported that on the same day, while acting on additional intelligence, the operatives stopped a business Toyota Camry Salon Vehicle with the licence plate JJJ 756 HB (Lagos) along Ilase-Akoko road in Idiroko.
According to Babafemi, two cooking gas cylinders with 34 compressed giant size wraps of imported skunk weighing 17kg were discovered.
Benjamin Ajose, 48, and Oluwatobiloba Ajayi, 37, he claimed were two of the individuals in the car, were both detained.
“In Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Hope Iniobong David, 42, was arrested with bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,112kg (1.1 tons) in her house at Ediene Abak, in Abak Local Government Area (LGA). of the state.
“Operatives in Kogi State, on Thursday March 9, recovered 25 cartons, containing 50,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, weighing 200kg in a Toyota Hiace bus, marked LAM 652 LG, Kogi, travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
“Also, in Ogun State, operatives arrested a female drug dealer, Bola Egbebi in Ota LGA, with different quantities of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine, Tramadol 225, Skuchies, Molly and Codeine cough syrup.
“In Gombe State, another female drug dealer, Fatima Hassan (a.k.a Boss), was arrested on Saturday, in her house at New Mile 3 Area of Akko LGA, with three and half blocks of skunk weighing 3.245kg,” he said.
Folake Ladipo and Adeola Babatunde, two other female drug dealers, were also apprehended on Friday in Lagos State’s Mushin District with 49.5 kilogramme of skunk.
Ismaila Saidu and Dahiru Abdullahi were detained on Tuesday together with 50 bags of cannabis sativa totaling 578 kg, according to Babafemi, who added that agents on patrol along the Ilorin-Jebba route made the arrests.
He said that the Nigerian Army had handed up 15 suspects to the NDLEA in the FCT Abuja together with 35 bags of cannabis totalling 384.3kg.
“A 56-year-old suspect, Shinayemà Kelenku, was arrested at Tse-kelenku village, Logo LGA of Benue, with 36.7 kg of skunk.
“In Delta State, operatives intercepted a suspect, Chimeze Ndukaire, 56, conveying psychotropic substances worth over N30 million, in a white Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number Lagos FST 279 XS, coming from Onitsha to Warri.
“The vehicle was intercepted on Friday at G.S.M junction, Asaba based on a tip-off.
“Recovered from the bus include 267.3 litres of codeine (2,673 bottles); 25,110 pills of tramadol and other opioids,” he said.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA agents carried out a raid in Kano State’s Sabon-Gari neighbourhood on Saturday and detained a suspect named Chukwuebuka Christopher.
He said that 7,740 bottles of syrup with a codeine basis, totaling 774 litres, were found on Christopher hidden inside 43 garlic bags.
