Agents from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have stopped the smuggling of various drugs, including ephedrine, skunk, and nitrous oxide (laughing gas), concealed in semovita packs and dry pepper.
These illegal substances were being shipped to South Africa and Kenya through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The individuals responsible for transporting these drugs were associated with Transnational Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO). Some of these individuals were apprehended, and their homes were searched, leading to the seizure of their luxury vehicles.
A spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, explained that the agency’s operatives acted on credible intelligence. They intercepted a notorious drug trafficker, Suleiman Oba, who was a member of a cartel involved in distributing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ephedrine across Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.
Suleiman Oba was arrested while attempting to board a flight to South Africa, carrying two boxes filled with ephedrine disguised as semovita packs. Ephedrine is a precursor chemical used in making methamphetamine, a highly addictive and illegal drug.
Oba, who held a South African passport and had lived in South Africa for over two decades, identified Hakeem Salami as the head of the drug ring. Salami, however, had fled the country on the same day Oba was arrested. Nonetheless, a search of Salami’s residence led to the discovery of important evidence, including a white Toyota Venza car, a Mercedes Benz SUV, phones, and crucial documents for further investigation.
In August 2021, the NDLEA had seized 25.6 kilograms of ephedrine at the Lagos airport, which was linked to the same cartel whose members are currently evading arrest. An airport official, Godwin Shedrack, believed to be part of the syndicate, is also under investigation.
Additionally, NDLEA operatives thwarted an attempt to export 10.4 kilograms of skunk, hidden with scent leaves and pepper, destined for Nairobi, Kenya. A suspect named Ekechukwu Ndubuisi was arrested in connection with this seizure.
Another attempt to export 180 canisters of laughing gas to South Africa was foiled when a freight agent, Oyekola Gbenga, was caught. Gbenga had demanded a fee of N2 million for the illegal operation.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a drug kingpin named Ngene Onyedikachi, who had recruited individuals posing as a fake couple (Ilonzeh Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Nonyelum) to smuggle cocaine. The kingpin was apprehended at his residence in Akoka, Yaba, after 25 days of intensive surveillance. Onyedikachi disclosed that he sourced the drugs from Guinea Conakry.
NDLEA operatives also arrested a suspect named Peter Iwebema in Ikorodu with 864.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa. At the Tincan port, 27 parcels of Colorado, weighing 13.5 kilograms, were seized from a container arriving from Canada. These synthetic substances were concealed in a bag hidden in a Ford Edge SUV.
In Sokoto, two male suspects, Nafiu Arzika and Jamilu Aminu, were arrested with 330 kilograms of skunk. In Ibadan, Ismaila Razak was nabbed with 34.5 kilograms of the same substance and 9.5 grams of methamphetamine.
Throughout various states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, NDLEA Commands conducted a “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) advocacy campaign in schools, places of worship, palaces, and local communities. This initiative aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, commended the agency’s officers and urged them to remain dedicated to reducing drug supply and demand.