…RECOVERS 866.2KG OF DRUGS SMUGGLED FROM BENIN REPUBLIC
Operatives of the NationaI Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, have apprehended a 52-year-old father of four, with black liquid cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA.
The Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Femi Babafemi, said the businessman, Okeke Adolphus Anayochukwu, was arrested with the black liquid cocaine, and became the first man to bring in the substance for the first time into Nigeria.
Babafemi added that Okeke was arrested on Tuesday, March 15 on arrival from Paulo, Brazil through Doha, Qatar to Abuja aboard Qatar Airways flight.
He said the discovery of the illicit liquid substance was made during the screening of the passenger’s two luggage, which was stuffed with six smaller bags containing 32-makeup mascara, which tested positive to cocaine.
During interrogation, the businessman, who hails from Oraifiti in Akwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, claimed that he was dealing in children wares, before veering into drug trafficking.
Babafemi said the suspect claimed that he met a man in a drinking joint in Brazil who gave him the consignment to deliver in Nigeria for a fee of N2MILLION.
According to the NDLEA’s spokesperson, other operations across the country, also witnessed seizures of different quantities of various drugs.
He said the Agency in Kaduna State on Friday, March 18, arrested Tony Samson, Paul Adamu, and Reuben Waziri, and recovered from the suspects, 18,380 tablets of Tramadol, 12,500 tablets of Diazepam and Exol-5 tablets.
“In Anambra, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 17th March intercepted a bus with reg. No AGU 460 ZW, at Obosi bridge heading to Aba, Abia State from Onitsha.
“Upon search, seven and half jumbo sacks of cannabis weighing 362kg were recovered while the driver, Ifeanyi Anyamele admitted to be the owner of the drug exhibits.
“The previous day, Wednesday 16th March, narcotic officers in Ogun state recovered 865.2kg of cannabis sativa around Otapele- Obada road in Imeko-Afon LGA.
“The consignment was brought in from Benin Republic on motorbikes for onward transportation to Lagos and Abeokuta. Same day, operatives in the state arrested Bello Ibrahim, 38, with 312.4kg of cannabis sativa at Ogere tollgate, Ikenne LGA.” Babafemi explained.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the Kaduna, Anambra and Ogun State Commands of the Agency for their vigilance and diligence.
He charged them and their counterparts across the country to always remain steps ahead of the tricks of drug traffickers and barons.