Etim Ekpimah
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested an Italy-bound woman, Mrs Nnadi Nora Chinyere for being in possession of 100 wraps of heroin and two parcels of the same substance at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The NDLEA also arrested a fake soldier, Adeyemi Segun Olamide in Maidugur, Borno State with 650 grams of skunk; a Nigerian Army staff sergeant, Muffat Ekong and one Frank Iredia Obamwonyi with 286.3 kilograms of cannabis at Delta State.
A statement by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said Nnadi was arrested on Tuesday August 3, 2021, during an outward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight to Florentine, Italy.
The statement noted that the woman concealed the drugs in five containers of hair relaxer cream.
“Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have sustained their nationwide offensive action against drug traffickers with strings of arrests and seizures including that of an Italy-bound woman, Mrs. Nnadi Nora Chinyere who was caught with 100 wraps of heroin and two parcels of same substance at the departure hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
“Nnadi was arrested on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, during an outward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight to Florentine, Italy. The drugs found on her were concealed in five containers of hair relaxer cream.
“In the same vein, on Thursday, 12th August 2021, operatives of the MMIA Command of the agency intercepted a United Kingdom bound consignment of illicit drugs at the NAHCO export shed of the airport.
“Further investigation reveals the consignment contains 66.600kg of cannabis sativa; 1.600kg heroin and 1.450kg of cocaine with a combined weight of 69.65kilograms, all concealed in cosmetics.
“Earlier, precisely Thursday August 5, 2021, narcotic officers on routine patrol intercepted another consignment of 25.8 kilograms of cocaine and cannabis concealed in foodstuffs going to London, UK at NAHCO export warehouse.
“When the export package was opened and examined, 2.3kg of cocaine and 23.5kg of compressed cannabis were discovered inside,” the statement added.
According to the statement, during a patrol operation along Akure-Owo Road, a team of operatives from Owo Area command of the agency equally intercepted a bus from Lagos en route Owo to Ibilo, Kogi State on August 7.
Items recovered from the vehicle were six parcels of skunk weighing 3.6kg; 30 pinches of Crack Cocaine weighing 87 grams and six sachets of Arizona weighing 265 grams. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the drug trafficking.
The statement noted that on Friday, August 13, Benue State command of the agency arrested an interstate trafficker, Eze Victor Ezenwanne at Apir- Aliade Road, Makurdi with 65.436 kilograms of diazepam tablets.
It added: “Same day, a suspected fake soldier, Adeyemi Segun Olamide was arrested in Maiduguri, Borno State with 650 grams of skunk while a Nigerian Army ex-staff sergeant, Muffat Ekong and one Frank Iredia Obamwonyi were arrested on Wednesday, August 11 with 286.3 kilograms of cannabis at Ogwashi Uku, Delta State on their way to Enugu State.”
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has commended the officers and men of the MMIA command as well as their Ondo, Borno, Benue and Delta state counterparts for the huge seizures and arrests.
Marwa, however, urged them and other commands to sustain the current momentum, assuring that President Muhammadu Buhari recognises their efforts and would continue to motivate them to do more.