Desperate efforts by drug cartels to export different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine and Cannabis to London, United Kingdom through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos have been scuttled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
This was revealed by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday.
Narcotic officers of the Agency had on October 28 during outward routine clearance of cargo at NAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted 20 parcels of Cocaine weighing 1.2kg concealed in packets of Zee black soap; 23 parcels of Heroin weighing 1.4kg hidden in packets of Zee black soap and 39 parcels of 2.35kg Methamphetamine concealed in Dudu -sun black soap packets.
Few days earlier, October 21, a similar cargo had been intercepted at the NAHCO shed of the MMIA, where 7.35kgs of Cannabis concealed inside some tablets of Dudu Osun black soap were recovered. No fewer than three suspects have so far been arrested in connection to the seizures.
Barely a week after she was arrested and granted bail for attempting to smuggle drugs concealed in cassava flour meal, popularly called akpu or fufu, into NDLEA cell for a suspect in custody, a nursing mother who claims to be a part-time 400-level student of International Studies and Diplomacy at the University of Benin, Mariam Adetilewa Dirisu, has against been arrested for trafficking in 5kg skunk and 8.1grams of Molly.
The 35-year-old mother of a two month-old-baby was first arrested on October 21 by the Edo State Command of the Agency.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), had on the same day directed that she be counselled and released immediately because of the young baby she was carrying.
Curiously, a controlled delivery operation carried out by operatives of the Delta State Command of the Agency on October 30 again led to the arrest of Dirisu, who had ordered for the drugs from Lagos even while still on bail for an earlier offence.
In Ondo State, no less than 1,645kg of cannabis was seized in three interdiction operations in parts of the state.
Operatives had on October 28 stormed Emure cannabis farm camp where 313kg of cannabis were seized and seven suspects: Paul Godwin, Michael Nnaji, Ezugu Lucky, Omolu Sunday, Simon Taiwo, David Udofia and M. Suleiman, arrested.
Operatives had the previous day raided the Ipele-Idoani forest where 534kgs of abandoned compressed cannabis were recovered just as a total of 798kilograms of cannabis were seized from two suspects: Gbenga Falodun and Faseyitan Opeyemi, at Ikare junction, Owo area of the state.
Also recovered from them were a white Mercedes Benz truck Lagos LSR 06 XW and monetary exhibit of N20,000.
At least, two suspected fake security agents: Umar Ibrahim and Sadiq Abubakar, as well as their accomplice, Auwal Hassan, have been arrested in Kogi State while conveying a total of 105.4kilograms of cannabis from Ondo State to Kaduna State on October 30 in a Mercedes Benz C 180 car with registration number Abuja BWR 924 KH.
Raids at three black spots in Oshodi, Ikeja and Ogba areas of Lagos State on October 23 have led to the arrest of a 15-year-old female SS II student of Idi-Araba Senior High School, Walaka Adams, who was arrested at 72, Mafoluku Road, Oshodi with 100 grams of cannabis sativa; Sodiq Ganun, a 24-year-old wielder with 200grams of cannabis at the same address; and Tajudeen Azeez, arrested at Ipodo, Ikeja, with 9grams of Cocaine.
At a drug joint in Ogba area of Ikeja, different quantities of abandoned drugs such as Molly, Rohypnol and Codeine based syrup were recovered.
While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Delta, Ondo, Kogi and Lagos Commands of the Agency for not resting on their oars, Marwa charged them and their counterparts in other Commands to remain resolute in the ongoing efforts to cut access and availability of illicit drugs across the country.
