NDLEA intercepts Vietnam-bound businessman with cocaine consignment at Abuja airport

• Busts another drug cartel in Lagos, arrests members with 17.4kg cocaine, heroin, meth; over 3.1million pills of opioids recovered in Kano, Lagos, Borno raids

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 40-year-old businessman, Mr. Ejike Chibuke Solomon, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja.

Mr. Solomon was intercepted while attempting to board an Ethiopia Airlines flight to Vietnam via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 1.45 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage.

In an official statement released by Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, it was disclosed that Mr. Solomon was arrested on Saturday, 2nd March 2024, following a thorough search by NDLEA officers.

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The illicit substance was discovered in factory-fitted compartment within his bag during the inspection.

Mr. Solomon claimed he was on a business trip to Vietnam.

Simultaneously, a special unit of the Agency conducted a raid on members of a syndicate dealing in methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in various hideouts across Lagos on Friday, 1st March.

During the operation, operatives raided the residence of Mr. Esimone Amachukwu Christopher in Ejigbo, where his associate, 40-year-old Ms. Evelyn Nneka Okem, was found in possession of 10.012 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Mr. Christopher is evading arrest.

Concurrently, another team of officers apprehended 45-year-old Mr. Ebele Edwin Iwuegbunam at his residence in Festac town, Lagos, seizing 429.5 grams of cocaine and 7 kilograms of heroin.

In Kogi state, NDLEA officers conducting a stop and search operation along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway intercepted a commercial bus marked GRM 347XA (Borno).

The bus was found to be carrying 28 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 11kg, along with 100 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup and 500 tablets of diazepam, concealed within three plastic drums covered with cattle fats.

The contraband was en route to Jos Plateau state.

Furthermore, in Ogun state, 169kg of cannabis was recovered from a truck abandoned at Sagamu tollgate, while in Lagos, 25 cartons of tramadol containing 325,000 pills were seized in Ikeja on Wednesday, 28th February.

Additionally, Mr. Abdullahi Garba Khalil was arrested in Kano with 2,745,000 capsules of pregabalin, handed over to the Kano state command of NDLEA by the Department of State Security (DSS).

Moreover, the 243 Recce Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Badagry transferred 27 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 1,110kg, recovered at a coastal community in Ajido, to the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA. Additionally, Mr. Hassan Muhammad was arrested with 44,950 pills of tramadol in Borno state.

In Abia state, NDLEA operatives raided a drug joint at Cemetery Barracks in Aba, resulting in the arrest of Mr. Ifeanyi Uche, 37, and the seizure of various quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Another raid was conducted at the abandoned Eyimba Hotel in Ogbor Hill, Aba, resulting in further arrests and seizures.

The NDLEA has continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign across various commands nationwide.

This includes sensitization lectures conducted for students, teachers, and community members in locations such as Fobin Primary and Secondary School in Lagos, Army Barracks Grammar School in Ibadan State Model Secondary School in Awka, Government Girls Secondary School in Rivers state, and the Lapan community in Gombe state.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers and men of the NAIA, Abia, Ogun, Kogi, Lagos, Seme, Borno, and Kano Commands of the Agency, as well as those of the Special Unit, for their outstanding efforts in the past week.

He also praised all commands across the country for their dedication to intensifying WADA advocacy lectures.