By Israel Alaga
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, today, arrested a 40-year-old Madrid, Spain-based ‘businessman’, Sherif Egbo at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA), Abuja for drug trafficking.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi in Abuja.
Babafemi, said that the suspect was arrested while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris, France, after they discovered he ingested illicit drugs.
He said that the suspect was arrested on Saturday Oct. 14 after body scanner revealed he had wraps of illicit drugs in his stomach.
Babafemi added that the suspect was subsequently placed under observation at the agency’s exhibit recovery room where he excreted 93 pellets of heroin weighing 2.222 kilograms.
“In his statement, the suspect claimed he works at a chicken hatchery farm in Madrid, Spain and also into drug trafficking business, ” he said.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) imports shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos have made other seizures.
Babafemi said that the operatives seized a consignment of 10 cartons containing 500,000 pills of tramadol 225mg branded as tapentadol on Monday.
He said that the cargo, which was shipped from India through Qatar Airways with airwaybill number MAWB 319-01227236 was purported to be a transit cargo to Monrovia, Liberia.
“However, the lid was blown open through partnership and real time intelligence sharing mechanisms between NDLEA and its Liberian counterpart, ” he said.
Also, attempt by an intending passenger to Muscat, Oman on Qatar Airways, Ngene Chinecherem, to export 11.100kgs of skunk and 600grams of tramadol had been frustrated by the NDLEA operatives.
Babafemi said that the drugs were concealed in foodstuffs and were to be exported through the Lagos airport, adding that the suspect was arrested and the illicit substances were seized.
Meanwhile, the Agency has also intercepted no fewer than 4.8tonnes of skunk in Imo, Edo, Ondo, Kano, and Ekiti States, respectively.
A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi stated this in Abuja.
Babafemi said that operatives in Imo intercepted a Mercedes Benz container truck marked ABN 418 YN parked in an isolated area along Owerri – Onitsha expressway on Sunday Oct. 15.
He said that a search of the abandoned truck led to the recovery of 168 bags of skunk weighing 1, 854 kilograms.
“Not less than 1,381.3kgs of the same substance were seized in four interdiction operations in parts of Edo state.
“This is including: Ekpon community, Igueben LGA; Iguiye forest in Ovia North East LGA; Iruekpen, Ndokwa West where a suspect, Samuel Nwocha was arrested and Egwalor village in Onwude LGA.
“Also, the duo of Obune Prince and Chika Obi were arrested and their Audi 80 salon car marked BEN 406 CL loaded with cannabis sativa, recovered, ” he said.
Also, In Kano State, an ex-convict, Aminu Suleiman, 46, was arrested along with Haruna Abdurrahaman, 41, and Joseph Esezobor, 34, at Gadar Tamburawa area of the state on Saturday 14th October while 106kgs of cannabis were recovered from them.
“Aminu was first arrested with 22kgs of cannabis on 3rd June 2022 and convicted by the Court on 24th November 2022.
“Five other suspects: Inusa Ali, Yahaya Musa, Abba Audu, Ali Abubakar, and Bunu Kyari were also arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Monday Oct16 for dealing in 75.3kgs of skunks, ” he said.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Zone J Command of the agency seized 478kgs of cannabis in a forest in Ikere Ekiti on Friday.
Babafemi said that those of Ondo State Command also recovered a total of 928kgs of the same substance.
He said, ” This was recovered in a bush by Shagari market, along Ifon-Owo express road, and Ibola camp, Ipele forest.”
However, In Borno, a suspect, Sani Mohammed, 31, was arrested on Saturday with 182kgs of cannabis at Njimtilo, along Maiduguri – Damaturu road, ” the director said.
