The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Onyebuchi, with 1.55 kg of cocaine concealed inside his luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the suspect was arrested at Terminal II while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
According to Babafemi, operatives discovered the cocaine factory-fitted into the walls and railings of the suspect’s check-in bag.
Onyebuchi, who dealt in marbles in Lagos, reportedly told investigators that he sold his business and other assets to raise N23 million to purchase the cocaine, which he hoped to sell in India for up to N100 million.
He remains in NDLEA custody pending prosecution.
In a separate operation in Lagos, operatives raided a warehouse in a residential compound on Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace, Okota, recovering 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at more than N2.6 billion.
The agency also raided the residence of a suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, in Ipaja, where 324 kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis valued at N972 million, was recovered. Two vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla, were also seized.
The Lagos seizures were part of a wider nationwide operation that led to multiple arrests and drug recoveries.
In Kwara, NDLEA officers arrested Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, with 55.96 kg of skunk. In Oyo, two suspects were arrested with 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol.
In Delta, operatives seized more than 124,000 tramadol pills, codeine syrup, rohypnol, diazepam, and injectable opioids from two suspects. Another suspect was arrested with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million.
In Plateau, 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol, were recovered from a vehicle, while Kano operatives seized hundreds of thousands of opioid pills, cocaine, methamphetamine, codeine syrup, and synthetic cannabis in separate operations.
The NDLEA also reported the destruction of more than 4.6 tonnes of skunk from cannabis farms in Edo State, where suspects were arrested in separate operations.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged personnel to sustain efforts to reduce both the supply and demand for illicit drugs.
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