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NDLEA Foiled Attempt to Smuggle 81 Pellets of Cocaine to Lebanon

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NDLEA Foiled Attempt to Smuggle 81 Pellets of Cocaine to Lebanon

By: Michael Mike

A 59-year old businessman could have lost his life while trying to smuggle 81 pellets of cocaine, which he had ingested, to Beirut, Lebanon.

The man, Chijioke Igbokwe was saved by a surgery, exploratory laparotomy, which freed him of 57 out of 81 pellets of cocaine stuck in his stomach after seven days of ingesting the illicit substance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to a statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, Igbokwe was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday 26th January 2025.

He said Igbokwe was promptly taken for body scan, which revealed illicit drugs in his system, and was soon after taken into NDLEA custody for excretion observation.

Babafemi said investigation revealed that Igbokwe who claims to be into cloth business at Arena, Oshodi area of Lagos, departed Lagos on 22nd January to Addis Ababa where he ingested the 81 wraps of cocaine the following day 23rd January and boarded a flight to Beirut, Lebanon to deliver the illicit consignment for a fee of $3,000.

Upon his arrival in Beirut, he said he was refused entry because he had less than $2,000, the amount required to grant him entry. He was then deported to Addis Ababa where he attempted excreting the illicit drugs but could not. He thereafter proceeded to Lagos on Saturday 25th January with the consignment in his bowel. He was however arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport by NDLEA officers on 26th January.

After five days under excretion observation, he could only expel 24 pellets following initial medical intervention at the agency’s medical facility and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja.

Babafemi said with the clock ticking for him and the complication of other underlining medical conditions, the suspect was eventually admitted at the tertiary facility where he had to undergo exploratory laparotomy to extract the remaining 57 wraps of cocaine stuck in his stomach after his wife and brother endorsed the necessary consent forms last Thursday.

In all, a total of 81 pellets of the Class A drug with a gross weight of 1.943 kilogrammes were alleged to have being recovered from his stomach.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos last Wednesday intercepted a consignment of 2,000 kilogrammes of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis produced in Ghana, at Lekki beach, where two suspects: Sunday Awoyede and Christopher Cletus attempted loading them into a truck. The suspects, the skunk shipment and the van were immediately taken into custody. Another suspect, Lawal Idris Olasunkanmi was also arrested same day with 55 kilogrammes skunk during a raid at his base in Mushin area of Lagos.

Babafemi said across the country, NDLEA commands and formations continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA Strategic Command for their vigilance and professionalism in handling Chijioke Igbokwe’s case, warned those involved in the illicit drug trade that they’re not only destroying the lives of others, but equally putting their own lives at great risk.

He equally applauded the Lagos State Strategic Command for blocking the huge consignment of skunk from coming into the country, and recognized the concerted efforts of their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA social advocacy lectures and sensitization activities to create a balance in drug supply and demand reduction efforts of the agency.

NDLEA Foiled Attempt to Smuggle 81 Pellets of Cocaine to Lebanon

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Troops Arrest Two Militias, Recover Arms in Plateau

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Troops Arrest Two Militias, Recover Arms in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Safe Haven have arrested two suspected militias and recovered firearms in Angwan Mata, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, conducted on Tuesday at about 11:10 AM by troops of Sector 8, followed credible intelligence on the activities of armed groups of Mwaghavul origin in the area.

The arrested suspects, identified as Innocent Nanpan (20) and Sebastine Samuel (20), were found in possession of a fabricated rifle and four cartridges.

According to security sources, the suspects and the recovered arms and ammunition are in custody for further investigation.

Troops Arrest Two Militias, Recover Arms in Plateau

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Troops Arrest Security Guard, Recover Weapons in Plateau

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Troops Arrest Security Guard, Recover Weapons in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Safe Haven, Sector 3, have arrested a security guard, Mr. John Bala, for alleged possession of illegal firearms in Miango Village, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama the arrest was made at about 9:18 PM on Monday during a special operation codenamed Golden Peace, following credible intelligence.

Items recovered from the suspect included a fabricated rifle, seven rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, five mobile phones, and a cash sum of N120,000.

The suspect, a 43-year-old security guard at Anan School of Accountancy, is currently in the custody of the troops for further investigation.

Troops Arrest Security Guard, Recover Weapons in Plateau

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NDLEA intercepts UK-bound illicit drug consignment in duvet at Lagos airport

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NDLEA intercepts UK-bound illicit drug consignment in duvet at Lagos airport

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in duvet, packaged for export to the United Kingdom through the cargo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said two suspects: Adakole Sunday and Austin Balogun linked to the bid to export the consignment to the UK were promptly arrested following the discovery by NDLEA officers last Tuesday, adding that six parcels of the psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3.5 kilogrammes were concealed inside the duvet.

Babafemi said Austin Balogun who is the main agent who hired Adakole, in his statement, claimed he was paid N700,000 to cargo the consignment to UK but spent a fraction of the money on export handling charges and the bulk to pay for an apartment.

In another clampdown, at least two suspects: Joseph Adewale and Biodun Adelakun were arrested at Igbo Olumo, Ikorodu area of Lagos when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout in the community where seven litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant, cannabis and opioids, were recovered. Other exhibits seized from the duo include: three locally made double barrel riffles; one locally made double barrel pistol; one English made pistol; one locally made single barrel riffle; three cartridges and one empty 9mm cartridge as well as an iron – head axe.

Babafemi said in another raid in Lagos on Sunday 19th January, the agency seized 47 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46 kilogrammes Nitrous Oxide popularly known as laughing gas at the notorious Akala area of Mushin.

In Ekiti, a 26-year-old suspect Adepoju Taiwo was arrested by NDLEA officers last Thursday with 1.95 kilogrammes Canadian Loud at Iworoko road, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, while Auwal Sani was nabbed by operatives last Monday at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of Kwara State. A total of 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 36.56 kilogrammes were recovered from him.

Babafemi said a Nigerien, Abubakar Lami, 45, with two others: Abba Sani, 35, and Auwal Aliyu, 32, were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano, while 13.1 kilogrammes skunk and 125 litres of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance were recovered from them. In Gefen Kasa, Dawakin Kudu council area of Kano state, a cannabis plantation was discovered and destroyed by a team of NDLEA officers who arrested a suspect, Sabo Muhammad, 45, linked to the farm.

He said across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, and Ekiti commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA social advocacy lectures and sensitization activities in every part of their areas of responsibility.

NDLEA intercepts UK-bound illicit drug consignment in duvet at Lagos airport

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