NDLEA Intercepts Drug Smugglers at Lagos Airport, Foils Child Trafficking Operation
In another successful operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted drug smugglers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria. The operatives of NDLEA thwarted the fresh attempts to transport methamphetamine and skunk, a potent form of cannabis, through the airport and courier companies.
On Tuesday, September 12th, NDLEA operatives discovered 7.50 kilograms of skunk hidden inside crayfish mixed with dry bitter leaf in the luggage of an intending passenger named Ugwu Peter Tochukwu. Mr. Tochukwu was planning to board a Qatar Airways flight to Oman when the illicit drug consignment was flagged during a thorough search.
The NDLEA officers attached to courier companies also intercepted 2.9 kilograms of skunk and 14 grams of methamphetamine. These illicit substances were concealed in bags of semovita and the soles of ladies’ high heel shoes, destined for Dubai.
In a separate incident in Imo state, five pregnant teenage girls suspected to be victims of child trafficking were rescued by NDLEA operatives. The girls, aged between 15 and 17, were intercepted while being relocated from their hideout in the Naze area of Owerri to Ikenegbu area. They claimed to be unaware of the men who impregnated them. The girls have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation.
The NDLEA has been successful in apprehending other drug-related offenders across Nigeria. Moses Akowe and Sunday Gabriel were arrested in Kogi state with 227.1 kilograms of cannabis. In Ogun state, Bilikisu Salako was captured with 108 kilograms of the same substance. Furthermore, Salisu Murtala and Shafi’u Dahiru were apprehended along Abuja road with 55 kilograms of cannabis and 600 bottles of codeine-based syrup. Follow-up operations led to the arrest of Muntari Nasiru and Yusuf Ali in Kano.
The efforts of the NDLEA have also focused on Abuja, where Kingsley Chimaobi was arrested with 6,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup. These seizures indicate the agency’s commitment to curbing drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
In a related development, a drug dealer named Segun Odeyemi has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by a Lagos Federal High Court. Mr. Odeyemi was found guilty of trafficking and dealing in 3,842 kilograms of skunk. The arrest took place on July 1st when he was transporting the illicit substance in his truck around the Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the officers and men involved in these operations. He also appreciated the collaboration of various NDLEA commands across the country and emphasized the importance of community involvement in raising awareness about drug abuse. Gen. Marwa urged the commands to continue their efforts in delivering WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to diverse audiences.
The successful interceptions and rescue operations highlight the effective measures being taken to combat drug trafficking and child trafficking in Nigeria. The NDLEA remains committed to eradicating the menace of drug abuse and ensuring a safer and healthier society for all.
