The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two women at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos over alleged drug trafficking, recovering 9.45kg of cannabis from a 62-year-old Nigerian-American woman and 36.65kg of cocaine from a 34-year-old South African.
The agency also announced a series of arrests and drug seizures in Lagos, Kano, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Niger, Bauchi and Oyo states.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the South African suspect, Qhina Beauty, was apprehended on October 7 at the airport’s departure hall as she prepared to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.
A search of her two travel bags reportedly exposed 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs had been concealed with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and distributed among seven parcels.
Babafemi said Beauty told investigators she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 to pick up the consignment.
She allegedly revealed that a fellow South African woman had recruited her for the operation, offering R20,000 upon successful delivery.
“She claimed she was introduced to two other members of the syndicate: one based in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer,” Babafemi said.
The investigation reportedly led to the arrest of 46-year-old Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, an alleged member of the syndicate, on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos. NDLEA operatives had earlier monitored his residence in Shasha.
The agency said Umunnakwe admitted picking Beauty up from the airport and arranging her accommodation at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin. He also reportedly moved her to Cynarisso Hotel, close to the airport, before her planned departure.
In another airport operation on October 21, NDLEA operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old realtor living in Richmond, Texas, United States, following her arrival from Houston on a United Airlines flight.
Officers discovered 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg inside one of her two checked-in boxes. The cannabis was hidden beneath gift-wrapping paper.
Ubong, who holds Nigerian and American passports, allegedly told investigators that her daughter and her future brother-in-law had taken the box to her residence in the US for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé in Nigeria, identified as Jibola.
Elsewhere in Lagos, the agency’s special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in Eti-Osa on October 23. The operation yielded 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives arrested 51-year-old Peter Ugochukwu in Warri with various pharmaceutical opioids.
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The seized substances comprised 29,350 tramadol capsules, 6,620 tablets of 200mg tramadol, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 Rohypnol tablets, 3,500 diazepam tablets, 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection. Quantities of 225mg tramadol, Molly and Cocodamol were also recovered.
The Nigeria Police Force in Delta State transferred Ugochukwu to the NDLEA alongside a white Hummer bus.
Another arrest in Warri involved 46-year-old Helen Bakporo Samson, a physically challenged woman found with 6kg of skunk at Enhere Junction on October 19.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi was arrested on October 19 after allegedly evading an earlier arrest. The agency said operatives had recovered 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence on September 16.
In Kano State, officers apprehended 30-year-old Murtala Lawan in Gerawa on October 22. He was allegedly in possession of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.
Taraba State recorded two separate arrests. At the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area on October 23, operatives arrested 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg.
On the same date, the police handed another suspect over to the agency after arresting him at Dakka village in Bali Local Government Area. The suspect was allegedly found with 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.
In Niger State, 26-year-old Emmanuel Ekene was arrested on October 19 along the Sabo-Kainji road in Borgu Local Government Area. Officers recovered 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam, from him.
NDLEA operatives also arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, known as Last Card, at Nasaru town in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State on October 21. A total of 379kg of cannabis, packed in seven large sacks, was seized during the operation.
Meanwhile, an intelligence-driven search of a farm at Board-Ala in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State on October 20 resulted in the recovery of 56 abandoned bags of cannabis weighing 583kg.
In Edo State, officers destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, on October 18. The farms were estimated to contain 2,023.14kg of cannabis.
The operatives also destroyed 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and kept 97kg as exhibits. A 42-year-old woman, Mary Edokhai, was arrested in a related operation at Ewe community in Owan West with 35kg of cannabis.
The agency further disclosed that its commands and formations continued public awareness activities under its War Against Drug Abuse campaign, reaching schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the officers for their work and urged them to intensify efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse.