By Attah Ede and Kamsi Anayo
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks and cannabis hidden in snack packs and arrested many suspects, including a Lagos-based fashion designer.
The Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Femi BabaFemi, who disclosed this in a statement he issued and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, said 12 parcels of cocaine weighing 2.8 kilogrammes were discovered at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to him, the illicit drugs, being exported to the United Kingdom, were ingeniously hidden in the false bottoms of food flasks.
According to him, two cargo agents—Ama Ufeim and Ogabi Akorede—were arrested at the point of interception with further investigations leading to the arrest of the alleged sender, freight forwarder Agoro Moninuola.
He maintained that, the NDLEA officers in a similar operation at the import shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday 8th April intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a gross weight of 2.90 kilograms concealed in snack food packs, which arrived from the United States of America aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
“Two cargo clearing agents: Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji road, Ogba, Lagos, on Monday 13th April.
“In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway by Gwargwaje Zaria on Monday 13th April intercepted a trailer conveying cement heading to Hadeja in Jigawa state. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms. The truck driver Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Beyond the airport seizures, the agency recorded major successes across several states. Along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, operatives intercepted a trailer transporting 847 kilogrammes of skunk, leading to the arrest of the driver.
“In Cross River State, a joint operation destroyed 15,000 kilogrammes of cannabis cultivated on six hectares of farmland, while a suspect was arrested. Similarly, in Edo State, officers dismantled a cannabis camp and destroyed over 2,281 kilogrammes of the substance, arresting three suspects.
“Additional seizures were recorded in Delta State, while in Lagos, operatives intercepted shipments of tramadol capsules and phenobarbital injections along the Mile 2–Badagry expressway, alongside another raid that recovered 95.8 kilogrammes of skunk from a building in Lagos Island.
“Another cannabis farm was raided on Tuesday 14th April at Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state where NDLEA operatives destroyed 2,281.43kg of same psychoactive substance, while three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45, were arrested, with the duo of Christopher and Monday caught with 38.5kg cannabis and its seeds.
“Two suspects: Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were nabbed with 87.838kg skunk and seeds at Powerline area of Okwo, Delta state on Friday 17th April”, he said.
The BabaFemi said that the anti drugs agency continues with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across the country, conducting sensitisation programmes in schools, religious centres, and communities.
