NDLEA arrests trafficker with 87 cocaine wraps at Abuja airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected narcotrafficker, Ibeh Kenneth Ejike, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for ingesting 87 wraps of cocaine.

The 41-year-old suspect, who was arrested on Wednesday, 25 August 2021, upon his arrival on board an Ethiopian Airline flight 911 from Kigali, Rwanda capital, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia capital, was taken in for secondary check during which he tested positive to ingestion of the illicit substance.

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Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that while under observation, Ejike excreted 87 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.884kg.

“Ibeh, who imports clothes for sale, hails from Owerrizikeala village in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra State,” Babafemi said.

400.37kg illicit drugs seized

Also, a suspected Lagos-based drug dealer, Eze Celestine Okorie, was arrested following the interception of 4.15kg of methamphetamine consignment going to London, the United Kingdom at the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, on 13th August.

The drug was concealed in tins of tomato branded ‘sunripe’ and packaged for the driver of a freight forwarding company to deliver at the airport export shed for onward movement to the UK.

Though the freight company’s driver was initially arrested, follow up investigations and subsequent sting operations led to the arrest of the kingpin behind the consignment, Eze Celestine Okorie, at his Coker, Surulere, Lagos home on Wednesday 25th August 2021.

Okorie hails from Isu village in Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State.

Meanwhile, raids of drug joints continued across the states in the last week, with Cross River State seeing one Anietie Attauba, arrested at Idundu community, with 9.9 grams of cocaine; while 23-year-old Joy Odey was nabbed at Nassarawa Bakoko Area of Calabar Municipality LGA on Friday 27th August with 500grams of skunk.

On the same day also in Cross River, one Ugwuanyi Chukwujekwu Basil was arrested at AK Divine Park, Harbour Road, Calabar with 2.6kg of cannabis, 10.33grams of cocaine and 30ml of swinol.

In Abuja, operatives of the FCT Command of the agency intercepted a Hiace bus conveying bags of cannabis and 30 parcels of skunk, cumulatively weighing 310kg along Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway, where another 32kg of Tramadol was equally seized the same day.

In Anambra State, operatives raided the Onitsha main market, Marine Line on Thursday 26th August with the support of soldiers.

Recovered during the raid include 50kg of cannabis; 150grams of meth and 27.6grams of cocaine; with one of the dealers, Moses Obiahu, arrested.

While commending the resilience of the officers and men of the NAIA, MMIA, Anambra, Cross River and FCT Commands of the agency as shown by their latest arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the ongoing offensive action aimed at cutting off availability and accessibility to illicit drugs in all parts of Nigeria.