By Ibironke Ariyo, Abuja.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 35 persons over alleged trafficking in various illicit drugs and substances.
The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Sunday, in Abuja.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, intercepted a consignment of 11.90 kilograms of heroin and 500 grammes of skunk, concealed in deep freezers, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
He said that the drugs were part of a cargo that arrived from South Africa on Tuesday, onboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He also said that the agency’s sniffer dogs were deployed to locate the spot where the illicit drugs were hidden in the cargo, and the dogs immediately identified the cartons packed in the deep freezers.
Babafemi said: “A total of four suspects that played active roles in the movement of the drugs and a truck driver, have been arrested so far, in connection with the seizure.
“They include Dairo Quam; Oluwaseun Ogunmene; Adeleke Abdulrasaq; Bamidele Adewale and Oluwafemi Ogunmeru.”
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives attached to the Gate C Departure Hall of the MMIA, on Thursday arrested a passenger, Aigbedion Philomena, travelling to Italy via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
“When her bags containing body cream, hair attachments, drinks and some food items were searched, a total of 1.20 kilograms of tramadol capsules, concealed inside a gift wrapping sheet and covered with old daily newspapers, were discovered, ” he said.
Besides, the NDLEA spokesman said that operatives, also acting on intelligence, on the same day, intercepted a commercial Toyota Camry Salon Car with registration number JJJ 756 HB Lagos on the Ilase-Akoko Road at Idiroko.
Babafemi said that 34 compressed jumbo-size wraps of imported skunk, weighing 17 kilograms and concealed in two cooking gas cylinders, were intercepted.
He said that two suspects in the car, Benjamin Ajose, 48 and Oluwatobiloba Ajayi, 37, were arrested.
“In Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Hope Iniobong David, 42, was arrested with bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,112 kilograms (1.1 tons) in her house at Ediene Abak in Abak Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
“Operatives in Kogi State, on Thursday, March 9, recovered 25 cartons, containing 50,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, weighing 200 kilograms in a Toyota Hiace bus, marked LAM 652 LG Kogi, travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
“Also, in Ogun State, operatives arrested a female drug dealer, Bola Egbebi in Ota LGA, with different quantities of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine, Tramadol 225, Skuchies, Molly and Codeine cough syrup.
“In Gombe State, another female drug dealer, Fatima Hassan (a.k.a. Boss), was arrested on Saturday, March 11, in her house at New Mile 3 Area of Akko LGA, with three and half blocks of skunk weighing 3.245kg,” he said.
Meanwhile, two other female drug dealers: Folake Ladipo and Adeola Babatunde, were arrested with 49.5 kilograms of skunk on Friday, March 10, in the Mushin neighbourhood of Lagos State.
Babafemi said that operatives on patrol along Ilorin-Jebba highway, on Tuesday, March 7, arrested two suspects — Ismaila Saidu and Dahiru Abdullahi — with 50 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 578 kilograms.
He also said that 15 suspects were transferred to the NDLEA by the Nigerian Army with 35 bags of cannabis, weighing 384.3 kilograms, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja,
“A 56-year-old suspect, Shinayemà Kelenku, was arrested at Tse-kelenku village, Logo LGA of Benue, with 36.7 kilograma of skunk.
“In Delta State, operatives intercepted a suspect, Chimeze Ndukaire, 56, conveying psychotropic substances, worth over N30 million, in a white Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number Lagos FST 279 XS, coming from Onitsha to Warri.
“The vehicle was intercepted on Friday, March 10, at G.S.M junction, Asaba, based on a tip-off.
“Illicit drugs that were recovered from the bus include 267.3 litres of codeine (2,673 bottles); 25,110 pills of tramadol and other opioids,” he said.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives on Saturday, March 11, raided the Sabon-Gari area of Kano State, where they arrested a suspect, Chukwuebuka Christopher.
He added that the operatives recovered from the suspect 7,740 bottles of codeine-based syrup, measuring 774 litres, concealed inside 43 sacks of garlic.
