NDLEA arrests 2 pregnant women, Brazilian returnee for drug trafficking at MMIA, Lagos

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have arrested two pregnant women at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos for attempting to import and export illicit drugs through the airport.

A statement released by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi on Sunday stated that the two women are among drug traffickers arrested last week.

According to the statement, the first to enter the Agency’s dragnet was a Brazilian returnee, Nworie Phillip Chikwendu who was arrested on Tuesday, May 3rd during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil en route Doha to Lagos.

During a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered hidden in a pair of brown slippers hidden in his oxblood backpack. A second search of the suspect’s black slippers revealed two more parcels of cocaine embedded in the soles of his shoes, bringing the total to four parcels weighing 800grams.

During a preliminary interview, Nworie, who claimed to be a barber in Sao Paulo, stated that he came to Nigeria to bury his father. He admitted that he decided to engage in criminal activity because his trip was sponsored by a friend in Brazil who gave him the drug to deliver in Lagos for a fee of N2, 000, 000.

The following day, Wednesday 4th May, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted some cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to contain illicit drugs. A freight agent who brought the consignment for export to Dubai, UAE, Shola Ogunrinde was immediately arrested while a follow-up operation led to the arrest of a pregnant woman, Mrs Seun Babatunde, who operates an alcohol joint in the Pleasure area of Iyana Ipaja.

When the cartons were opened in the presence of the agent and the pregnant owner, seven parcels of cannabis and a sachet of ecstasy drug (MDMA) were found concealed inside Cans of black bullet alcoholic drinks. In her confession, Mrs Babatunde claimed the drugs were being sent to her husband who lives in Dubai.

The second pregnant woman, Mrs Gloria Asibor was arrested on Thursday 5th May while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Bolonia, Spain via Istanbul, Turkey. A search of her luggage containing food items led to the discovery of 300 tablets of 200mg and 225mg high dosage Tramadol concealed in crayfish.

Meanwhile, large consignments of psychoactive substances have been intercepted in parts of Northwest, Northeast and Northcentral. In Kaduna, a drug dealer, Obinna Anene a.k.a Young Alhaji was arrested on Friday 6th May at Buwaya Kaduna with 50,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 9kg; 595 tablets of Tramadol weighing 318grams and 8 tablets of Co-codamol weighing 6grams.

The same day, a trafficker, Alhaji Modu Yahaya was caught with 26.5kg of cannabis in Damaturu, Yobe state while travelling in a commercial vehicle from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno state.

At least, nine drug dealers were arrested by operatives in Lagos on Thursday 5th May during raids in black spots in Mushin Olosha and Akala as well as Langbasa and Ikota in the Ajah area of the state with different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Cannabis, and Skuchies. Those arrested include Kehinde Ilori; Osho Demola Nurudeen; Kamarudeen Isiaka; Kazeem Ishola; Afeez Adebolade; Oguntana Aduragbemi; Chuks Alowai; Mrs Bola Kazeem and Kehinde Ogunleye.

In Plateau, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 7th May intercepted a truck carrying 673.3kg cannabis along Bassa/Rukuba Barracks road in Jos while the driver and his assistant fled into the bush. In other parts of the state capital, two dealers; Manga Emmanuel and Yusuf Usman were arrested with 34 pinches of cocaine and 400grams of cannabis at old airport and Rikkos respectively.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, has commended the officers and men of the Agency’s MMIA, Kaduna, Yobe, Lagos, and Plateau Commands for the arrests and seizures. He charged them and others in other commands across the country to keep the pressure on drug cartels while also balancing drug supply and drug demand reduction efforts.