Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after discovering 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage while attempting to board a flight to London.
The septuagenarian was apprehended at the departure hall of the airport on Saturday, March 14, while preparing to board British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom.
Confirming the development in a statement on Sunday, the Director of Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect was intercepted after officers uncovered the illicit substance hidden in food items inside his luggage.
Babafemi explained that the cocaine was carefully packaged in foil papers and balloons and concealed in ground dry pepper to evade detection during screening at the airport.
“The 74-year-old suspect, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, who claimed he was travelling to London, United Kingdom for vacation, was arrested at the departure hall of the Abuja airport while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow,” he said.
“During a thorough search of his luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.”
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested a woman, Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island.
According to Babafemi, the suspect was arrested in the early hours of Monday, March 9, while attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
“At the time of her arrest, she was found with her three children, including an infant,” Babafemi stated.
He said the suspect confessed that the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently arrested the same day, while his wife was released.
Babafemi added that further investigation revealed that Ibrahim had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015.
In another interdiction operation, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebetu Ero on Lagos Island.
Babafemi said the suspects were caught with 68,000 pills of tramadol in different strengths after loading the illicit consignment into a truck with plans to transport it to the Republic of Benin.
“A follow-up operation conducted on Wednesday, March 11, at Idumota Market led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian,” he added.
He said a search of the suspect’s shop uncovered a parcel already prepared for waybill delivery containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol.
Another raid at the same market on Friday, March 13, resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
Babafemi further disclosed that NDLEA operatives arrested Magaji Dan Azumi, 42, at Bebeji area of Kano with 386 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, March 10.
Similarly, officers in the Federal Capital Territory recovered 282.2 kilograms of skunk from another suspect, Isah Wako, 42, in Gwagwalada on Friday, March 13.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa forest reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was arrested.
Babafemi said a total of 4,218.96 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on two cannabis farms, while 16.5 kilograms of the substance were recovered.
The NDLEA spokesman also disclosed that no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos during a joint examination by NDLEA officers, officials of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
“The containers had earlier been watch-listed by NDLEA following credible intelligence indicating the concealment of opioids in the shipments,” Babafemi stated.
Babafemi noted that the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued across the country with sensitisation programmes in schools and communities.
He said lectures were delivered to students and staff of several institutions including ERCC Secondary School in Nasarawa, Awoyemi Commercial High School in Oyo State, Ogunu Primary School in Delta State, Seven Angels University Secondary School in Cross River State, and Edo National College in Edo State.
He added that the NDLEA Zone 11 Command also paid an advocacy visit to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru as part of the ongoing anti-drug campaign.
Meanwhile, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers and men of the agency’s commands in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo and the FCT for the successful arrests and seizures recorded during the week.
Marwa also praised personnel across the country for maintaining what he described as a balanced approach in tackling both the supply and demand sides of illicit drugs.
He urged officers to remain steadfast in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
