Crime
NDLEA Intercepts Europe-bound Cocaine, Heroin, Meth consignments at Lagos airport

NDLEA Intercepts Europe-bound Cocaine, Heroin, Meth consignments at Lagos airport
… Seizes 75.75kg skunk from Canada; arrests pregnant woman, school teacher, others over 2 tons of drugs seized in 8 states
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have frustrated attempts to export large consignments of illicit drugs concealed in various disingenuous modes by desperate drug cartels via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi while disclosing that among the illicit drugs intercepted include cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine to Dubai, UAE and Europe, noted that top on the list of those so far arrested in connection with the seizures is a Nigerian based in Athens, Greece, Iwuozor Chinedu, who was debarked from an Ethiopian airline flight last Friday after officers in the tarmac team of NDLEA intercepted two bags during a secondary check exercise at the foot of the aircraft.
Babafemi said when the bags were searched in the presence of Chinedu and other airport stakeholders, two big pellets wrapped with foil papers and some sprinkles of pepper were recovered from each of the two sides of one of the bags. The pellets were used to construct false walls at the sides of the bag.

He said the two parcels contained substances that tested positive to cocaine and heroin with a gross weight of 1.30 kilogrammes and 900 grammes respectively, revealing that during preliminary interrogation, Chinedu claimed he came to Nigeria three months ago to do a surgery, which he was not comfortable doing in Athens, and further claimed he was given the bag to deliver in Greece for a fee of N2 million.
Babafemi also said NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the airport last Monday arrested a pregnant woman, Mrs. Sylvester Onome after 800 grammes of skunk were discovered concealed in two small radio sets she was sending to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
He said the same day, operatives also intercepted a consignment going to Congo Kinshasa, containing 111 bottles of body cream that were used to conceal 24.5 kilogrammes of ephedrine, a chemical precursor and active ingredient to produce methamphetamine, adding that the cargo was later traced to a trader at Alaba trade fair complex, Ojo area of Lagos, Onyekachukwu Uduekwelu after the initial arrest of two freight agents.

The NDLEA Spokesman said another housewife, Mrs. Okpara Chizoba was arrested at her residence at 37 Obashola street, Ijesha area of Lagos on Friday 27th January following the seizure of 300 grammes of skunk hidden in a bag of crayfish she was sending to Dubai, UAE through a freight agent.
Babafemi also disclosed that operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Thursday 26th January intercepted a sack of new clothes going to Sierra Leone, and during a thorough search of the consignment, a parcel of white crystalline substance that tested positive to methamphetamine with a gross weight of a kilogramme, as well as 300 grammes of skunk and 100 grammes ecstasy (MDMA) were recovered, a freight agent, Mfonabasi Victor was already arrested in connection with the seizure.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 255,500 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from an Italy based suspect, Duru Josephat who concealed the drugs in two of the bags he was travelling with to Milan, Italy on an Ethiopian airline flight. He confessed he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra state and was taking them to Italy to sell.
Babafemi said barely a month after operatives at the Tincan seaport intercepted a consignment of 24.5 kilogrammes of cannabis indica concealed in used vehicles imported from Canada, they have again seized 75.75 kilogrammes of the same substance, which came from Montreal, Canada, hidden in a container of four used vehicles with number MSCU 5336680.
He said coincidentally, the consignment has also been traced to a suspect already in custody in connection with the earlier seizure, Steve Adigwe and his accomplice, Cedrick Maduweke who is still on the run.
In Bauchi state, a suspect Clement Ekweozor, was nabbed at Rafin Zurfi area, Bauchi town with 28,088 pills of tramadol and other opioids, while 12,000 capsules of the same drug were among others recovered from four suspects when their commercial bus marked UGH 978 KS was intercepted at Koka junction, Asaba, Delta state by NDLEA operatives last Wednesday.
Babafemi disclosed that a 40-year-old secondary school teacher, Sani Isah was arrested by operatives at a house in Jekadefari area of Gombe last Thursday for dealing in new psychoactive substance, Akuskura, adding that 2,198 bottles of the substance concealed in six bags were recovered from him while he claimed to have started the illicit business since 2018.
In Ogun state, 190 kilogrammes of cannabis were recovered from a dealer, Emmanuel Ibrahim in Lafenwa area of Abeokuta following credible intelligence, while three suspects: Mohammed Sani, Yusif Musa and Musa Musa were arrested at Maidile area of Kano with 2,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup. Another dealer, Bako Ibrahim, 55, was also arrested last Saturday in Sharada area of Kano with 420 blocks of cannabis weighing 282 kilogrammes.
He said another dealer of the same substance, Akeem Azeez, 39, was nabbed with 612 kilogrammes recovered from him in Akure, Ondo state. Following a follow up operation in Minna, Niger state, operatives of the Kogi state command of the agency now have in their custody a suspect, Michael Ikechukwu, 30, over the interception of his consignment containing 106,800 pills of tramadol sent to him from Onitsha, Anambra state, along Okene-Lokoja highway.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while appreciating the efforts and commitment of the officers, men and women of the MMIA, Tincan, Bauchi, Delta, Gombe, Ogun, Kano, Ondo and Kogi state commands of the agency towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs, however urged them and their compatriots across the country not to relent.
NDLEA Intercepts Europe-bound Cocaine, Heroin, Meth consignments at Lagos airport
Crime
Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
…72-year-old Grandma, Beninese, Ithers Nabbed in NDLEA Raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former football player Segun George Hunkarin along with his businessman partner Ntoruka Chinedu over attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Chinedu who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport last Tuesday, when his carry-on bag was searched, 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes were seen to be concealed therein.

Babafemi said investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.
He said further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin was said to have claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but has never brought any to Nigeria.
Another Europe based businessman Amen Okoro was last Friday arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.
He was intercepted at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

Babafemi said Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria, claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would have taken a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.
At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.
He revealed that the 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.
He noted that another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250 kilogrammes, the
suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.
NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5 kilogrammes from Benin Republic into Nigeria.
In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.
Babafemi said a 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was last Tuesday arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state, with several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size recovered from her.
The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
Crime
Troops repel armed herdsmen attack on farmers in Benue

Troops repel armed herdsmen attack on farmers in Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
Farmers and residents along the Daudu–Makurdi Expressway in Benue State were thrown into panic on Saturday following an attempted attack by armed herdsmen at Atson Village.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident, which occurred at about 3:18 p.m., led to chaos as people fled in different directions some towards Agan Toll Gate and others toward Gbajimba Road after reports emerged that armed herders were invading farms and destroying crops.
The sources said the attackers were heavily armed and had begun chasing farmers from their farmlands when security surveillance teams patrolling the area intervened.
On sighting the troops, the armed herdsmen reportedly fled into the bush.
Calm has since been restored to the affected area, and a joint patrol by security operatives is ongoing to ensure the safety of lives and property and to prevent a recurrence.
Troops repel armed herdsmen attack on farmers in Benue
Crime
Troops repel coordinated attacks on three Plateau communities

Troops repel coordinated attacks on three Plateau communities
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) along with other security forces, successfully repelled coordinated attacks on three communities in Riyom Local Government Area by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias.
Zagazola Makama report that the affected communities Rim, Angwan Wereng, and Cum came under attack between 10:50 p.m. and 11:40 p.m. on Thursday night.
The troops responded promptly to distress calls and engaged the attackers, forcing them to flee the area.
“On receipt of the information, army troops and other sister security agencies moved swiftly to the scenes and repelled the attackers,”said the sources.
No official casualties were confirmed as of the time of this report, but the situation is said to be under control while normalcy has returned to the affected areas.
Troops repel coordinated attacks on three Plateau communities
-
News1 year ago
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions3 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year ago
EYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year ago
Army University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year ago
A History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions1 year ago
Tinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics3 weeks ago
2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift