NDLEA arrests 3 grandfathers over 52kgs cocaine, skunk

By Ibironke Ariyo

The NDLEA has arrested three sexagenarian grandfathers and a Nigerien in connection with the seizure of over 52.252 kilograms of Cocaine, Methamphetamine and Skunk.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that 32, 590 pills of opioids was also seized in Lagos, Kwara, Plateau, Sokoto and two courier companies by NDLEA operatives.

He said that a man on NDLEA watchlist, Benjamin Chimaobi, who frequents Cameroun, Ethiopia and Uganda was arrested on Feb. 18 at Victory Estate, Iba, Ojo area of Lagos.

He said that the suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure of a 19.70kgs cocaine abandoned on an Ethiopian airline flight that arrived Lagos airport on Thursday, Feb. 9.

According to him, Chimaobi had travelled to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to pick the consignment.

“He claimed it was handed over to him in a black backpack bag on the plane in Addis Ababa, but failed to disembark with it on arrival in Lagos.

“While the agency continues to investigate the flight crew members, relevant intelligence and investigative tools were deployed to identify the passenger who brought the consignment to Nigeria.”

Babafemi said Chimaobi was eventually unraveled and traced to Victory estate, Iba where he was arrested.

In added that operatives on Feb. 23 intercepted an intending passenger on Turkish Airline flight to Torino via Milan, Italy at the Departure Hall of Lagos airport.

The suspect, Obazee Timothy Eguagie, was arrested with various quantities of opioids consisting a total of 22, 840 tablets of Tramadol 225mg weighing 10.60 kg.

“Others include 1000 tablets of Tramadol 200mg with a gross weight of 600 grams; 2, 300 capsules of Tramadol 100mg weighing 800 grams and 60 tablets of Rohypnol 1mg, weighing 19 grams.”

Babafemi said that the drugs were concealed inside cloths and wrapped with black tapes.

He also said that NDLEA operatives attached to Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) import shed of the airport on Feb. 24, intercepted eight cartons of shoes coming from Los Angeles, United States.

Babafemi said that a diligent examination of the cargo showed that the shoes were used to conceal 37 parcels of Loud variant of Cannabis with a gross weight of 20.10 kilograms.

He said that a 63-year-old grandfather, Balogun Akinlabi hired as freight agent to clear the illicit consignment has already been arrested.

“Two other sexagenarians arrested in connection with drug trafficking include Butven Siman, 62, who was nabbed with 5.5kgs skunk on Friday Feb. 17 at Timbol village, Langtang South LGA, Plateau.

“Also, 65-year-old Musa Shuaib was arrested with a kilogram of cannabis on Thursday Feb. 23 in Adewole area of Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.”

Babafemi said that operatives of NDLEA in Lagos also recovered a total of 4.292 kilograms of psychoactive drugs including Methamphetamine, Tramadol, Lexotan and Swindon.

He said that the drugs which were at two major courier companies in Lagos were concealed in walls of cartons, picture frames, bathing soap packs and bedsheets.

He added that they were recovered from parcels going to United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia by officers of the NDLEA attached to the logistics firms.

Babafemi also said that NDLEA operatives at Illela border in Sokoto State on Feb. 21 intercepted a Nigerien, Bashar Abdu of Kwanni, Niger Republic with 1.460kgs of skunk wrapped around his private part.

He said that another suspect, Mohammed Garba (a.k.a Alfazazi), was arrested with 6,390 tablets of Tramadol 225mg, weighing 3.4kgs on Feb. 23 along Abuja-Kaduna expressway. (TNT)