…Intercepts illicit consignments heading to Borno, Kano, Abuja
ABUJA (CHATNEWSTV) — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 26-year-old nursing student, Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma, for attempting to ingest 76 wraps of cocaine before boarding a flight to India.
In a press release sent to CHATNEWSTV on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy for the NDLEA, disclosed that the arrest was part of a series of nationwide operations. These efforts intercepted multiple illicit drug consignments and resulted in the apprehension of 33 suspects across various states.
Uzodinma, a 200-level nursing student at Noida International University, Uttar Pradesh, India, was scheduled to fly from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to Delhi on Friday. She was arrested late Thursday at the Royal Park Hotel in Sabon Gari, Kano, awaiting delivery of the cocaine she planned to swallow.
The arrest followed the interception of Cosmas Okorie, 31, along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi State. NDLEA operatives discovered 76 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.34 kilograms, concealed in an audio speaker in his possession. Okorie confessed to delivering the drugs to Uzodinma in Kano.
In her statement, Uzodinma revealed she was recruited by a drug cartel in India, which funded her trip to Nigeria under the guise of spending the holidays. She said she stayed in hotels to avoid her parents’ knowledge and was promised over $5,000 for successfully smuggling the cocaine to India.
“In other operations along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway, NDLEA officers arrested four suspects: Abdullahi Umar; Tijjani Samaila; Lucky Obotte and Abubakar Haruna, who were heading to Maiduguri, Borno state, Kano, and Abuja in commuter vehicles with over 38,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, 250mg and 100mg concealed in audio speakers and cloths.”
“In Lagos, operatives of a special operations unit of the Agency on Tuesday 14th January raided the hideout of a 59-year-old Nwokedi Emeka Jonas in Ojodu-Berger area of the state where they recovered 10 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 4.9kg as well as different paper bags he uses in dispensing the psychoactive substance in retail quantities. Printed on them include street names and codes such as ‘Dead man’; ‘Gelato top shelf smoke’; ‘Topshelf’; and ‘Gelato cake’”
“In other operations in Lagos, operatives of the state Command of the Agency on Wednesday 15th January raided a house in Igando New Town area of Alimosho where they arrested three suspects: Isaac Vincent, 32; Ebube Ikechi, 25; and Christopher Usifoh, 43, from whom 1,610kg skunk, a strain of cannabis and 6kg pills of tramadol were recovered. Also recovered from the house were a delivery van and three other vehicles used for distributing the illicit drugs.”
“Two suspects: Olashile Okoya and Mohammed Ibrahim were arrested on Saturday 18th January when NDLEA officers raided their home at 5A Addison Palmer, Cadogan Estate, Castle Rock Avenue, Osapa, Lekki Lagos, where 28 kilograms of Cannadian Loud were recovered following credible intelligence.”
“Not less than 67kg skunk was seized from Saheed Sulaiman on Thursday 16th January when NDLEA operatives raided his Edumare street, Lagos Island hideout, while various quantities of assorted illicit substances were recovered from Adamu Abdullahi on Tuesday 14th January when Jerry Irabi Estate, Lekki hideout was raided by NDLEA officers. They include 3.7 litres of codeine syrup; 10,000 pills of tramadol; 1,670 tablets of rohypnol; 6.5kg cannabis; 3,100 tablets of diazepam; 10,090 tablets of Molly; 5,500 tabs of Exol-5; 1.2kg crisps of wrapped methamphetamine and a monetary exhibit of ₦623,650.00.”
“In Kano, two suspects: Usama Adamu, 25, and Isah Ibrahim, 29, were on Friday 17th January
arrested at Dawanau, Dawakin Tofa LGA where a total of 7.6kg skunk, 78 tubes of rubber solution and 356 bottles of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance were recovered from them. In another raid in Kano, Usman Isa, 29, was nabbed along Zaria road with 114 blocks of skunk weighing 49.8kg.”
“Three suspects: Lawali Isiaka, Umoru Isiaka and Mohammed Kabiru were on Wednesday 15th January arrested by NDLEA operatives with 390 tablets of Molly and 65.5kg of cannabis at Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, while Samuel Ogbu, 24, was nabbed with 25,000 pills of tramadol by operatives along Wukari- Zaki Ibiam road, Wukari LGA, Taraba state.”
“In series of raids in Abuja, a suspect, Rufa’i Hashimu, 27, was arrested at Gwarimpa village area of the FCT with 118 bottles of codeine-based syrup, while 13 others were nabbed in other locations such as: Area1 IDP camp, Gishiri, Zuba, Dei -Dei, AYA, Lagos Street Garki, Karu, and Lugbe. Recovered from them include different quantities of tramadol, diazepam, and methamphetamine.”
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) praised the agency’s officers for their vigilance and dedication. He urged them to maintain their efforts in curbing drug abuse and trafficking through a balanced approach of supply reduction and public sensitization.
The agency also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, conducting outreach programs in schools, religious centers, and workplaces to educate communities about the dangers of drug abuse.
