National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Arrests Drug Traffickers in Various Operations
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant arrests in recent operations, targeting drug traffickers and seizing illicit substances. These operations demonstrate the agency’s commitment to combating the illegal drug trade and protecting society from the dangers of drug abuse.
At the Lagos International Airport, a Delhi, India-bound passenger named Freeman Charles Ogbonna was apprehended at the screening point of Terminal 2. He was found to have ingested 80 wraps of cocaine. Ogbonna, who initially presented a Liberian international passport under the name Carr Bismark, was detected through a body scan that revealed the presence of illicit drugs in his system. Subsequently placed under observation in NDLEA custody, Ogbonna began to experience discomfort and started to vomit and excrete the cocaine wraps he had ingested. Over a period of four days, he passed a total of 80 wraps weighing 889 grams. Ogbonna acknowledged that a relative had enlisted him in the drug trade with the promise of a N300,000 reward if he could get the drugs into India.
In another operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers intercepted a drug mule named Imran Taofeek Olalekan, who was traveling to Oman with check-in luggage and a backpack. Upon thorough search, a false bottom concealment of drugs was discovered in the check-in luggage and the walls of the backpack. The officers also apprehended a man named Ishola Isiaka Olalekan, who was accompanying the suspect and was identified as his recruiter. During further inspection, charms were found in the bags and on the drug mule. Imran Taofeek Olalekan revealed that he had traveled to Ibadan to meet with an ‘Alfa’ who prepared the charm for him to ensure he wouldn’t be caught during the trip. Ishola Isiaka Olalekan admitted to procuring the charms for N70,000.
At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with Customs Service and other stakeholders, intercepted 2,144 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 1,072kg. The drugs were concealed in used vehicles and household goods within a container originating from Toronto, Canada.
In Kano, a suspect named Gidado Sani, who had previously jumped bail granted by a Federal High Court on drug offense charges, was re-arrested with 85 blocks of cannabis weighing 50.1kg. In Ogun State, another suspect named Wasiu Jimoh was apprehended during a raid operation with 84 parcels (62kg) of cannabis sativa.
Additional arrests were made in Lagos, where a suspect named Emeka Umeh was found in possession of 506.2kg of cannabis, and another suspect named Victor Okeke was nabbed with cannabis sativa and skuchies.
The NDLEA continues its efforts to reduce drug supply and raise awareness through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns conducted in schools, markets, motor parks, worship centers, and communities across the country. These operations serve as a reminder of the agency’s dedication to combating drug trafficking and protecting the well-being of the Nigerian population.
