Drug Trafficking: NDLEA Apprehends Businessman With Cocaine At Enugu Airport 

Drug Trafficking: NDLEA Apprehends Businessman With Cocaine At Enugu Airport 

Recently, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) made significant seizures of illegal drugs across various locations in Nigeria.

On December 9, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, NDLEA operatives intercepted 12 consignments of cocaine linked to a drug trafficking organization.

According to NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, These consignments were found in the possession of a businessman named Augustine Emeka, aged 44, who claimed to be involved in the copper wire trade.

Babafemi said, “A businessman, Augustine Justine Emeka, 44, who claims he deals in copper wire was arrested at the airport upon his arrival from Douala, Cameroon via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopia airline with the 12 consignments consisting of seven hundred and ninety-seven (797) pellets of cocaine weighing 17.6 kilograms.

“During preliminary interview, the suspect admitted that the cocaine consignments were for delivery to 12 different persons in the country,” he noted.

In another incident on December 8, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, a fleeing suspect named Onyejiuwa Ifeanyi was arrested by NDLEA operatives.

Ifeanyi had been in hiding since September 8, following the seizure of a 20kg cannabis consignment concealed in tomato paste tins, intended for shipment to the United Kingdom.

The agency’s seaport operations unit also made an arrest on December 4 in Lagos.

Jamila Fatiu, a 45-year-old Beninese national, was apprehended at the Ebute Ero Jetty in Lagos Island.

Fatiu was found in possession of 398 bottles of codeine cough syrup, which she intended to transport via a boat service on her way to the Seme border.

Additionally, NDLEA officers acted on intelligence in Katsina state and disrupted a pre-wedding ceremony drug abuse competition in a community called Shola Quarters. During the operation, 25 youths who were participating in the drug party were arrested.

“Operatives swooped on the suspects while they were busy taking turns abusing all sorts of illicit substances including a mixture of multiple drugs mixed in a plastic bucket. Though the groom, Musa Gwandi who organized the drug party along with his friends was not at the venue at the time the 25 others were arrested, he was however nabbed on Sunday, December 3, following a manhunt for him.

“On the same day, Sunday, December 3, operatives in Anambra state intercepted a truck marked BEN 302 YS (Edo) and after a search, 5,612 bottles of codeine-based syrup; 57,800 capsules of tramadol and 5,100 ampoules of pentazocine injection, among others were recovered. The driver, Ambrose Oyamedan, conductors – Samuel Otejere and Obey Jonathan as well as the truck were taken into custody for further investigation,” Babafemi revealed.

Furthermore, in different parts of Kaduna state, three suspects were apprehended. Monday John, aged 50, was arrested on December 7 with 28.4kg of cannabis. Maryam Adang, aged 48, was nabbed on December 9 with 18.6kg of the same substance. On the same day, Mohammed Musa, a 36-year-old from Damagaran, Niger Republic, was arrested with 34 kilograms of cannabis sativa along the Abuja-Kaduna highway. Musa was en route to Niger Republic with the illicit cargo.

In Enugu, 12 consignments of cocaine were intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. The cocaine belonged to members of a drug trafficking organization and was recovered from a businessman named Augustine Emeka, who claimed to deal in copper wire.

Similarly, in Kogi state, a 20-year-old named Adamu Nuhu was arrested on December 3 while traveling from Onitsha, Anambra, to Kaduna. He was found in possession of 2,700 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 11,900 pills of tramadol (225mg and 100mg), and 124,000 tablets of diazepam.

In Borno state, NDLEA operatives seized a total of 81,975 pills of tramadol from three suspects: Mohammed Abubakar and Hassan Mohammed, both aged 25, in Response Area, Bayo town, as well as Suleman Hamidu, 27, who was apprehended by the military during a follow-up operation in Mubi town, Adamawa state.

Furthermore, another victims Taye Ali, 43, and Okon Peter, 60, were arrested with 97kg of cannabis in the Kanisuru, Ipele area. Lastly, Nnabuke Christian, 29, was caught in possession of 46,000 tablets of diazepam, 4,900 pills of tramadol, and 6,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.