By Kola Adeyemi
Abuja – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed the arrest of two pregnant women and other suspects at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos while attempting to import and export illicit drugs through the airport.
A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the agency said the women and others were arrested by its operatives in the first week of May.
According to the statement signed by the NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the first to be caught is a Brazilian returnee, Nworie Chikwendu, who was arrested on Tuesday, May 3 during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil enroute Doha to Lagos.
Babafemi said during a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered concealed in a pair of brown colour slippers hidden in his backpack.
“A further search of the pair of black slippers worn by the suspect also led to the recovery of additional two parcels of cocaine built into the soles of his foot wears, bringing the total to four parcels weighing 800 grammes,” Babafemi said .
He disclosed that while undergoing preliminary interrogation, Nworie who claimed to be a barber in Sao Paulo, said he came to Nigeria for the burial of his father.
The suspect confessed to trafficking the drugs because his trip was sponsored by his Brazil-based friend who gave him the drug to deliver in Lagos for a fee of N2 million.
The spokesman also said on Wednesday, May 4, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted some cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to contain illicit drugs.
He disclosed that a freight agent who brought the consignment for export to Dubai, 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 at Pleasure area of Iyana Ipaja.
“When the cartons were opened in the presence of the agent and the pregnant woman, seven parcels of cannabis and a sachet of ecstasy drug (MDMA) were found concealed inside cans of Black Bullet alcoholic drinks.
“In her confession, Babatunde claimed the drugs were being sent to her husband who lives in Dubai,” the statement added.
The NDLEA spokesman stated that the second pregnant woman, Mrs Gloria Asibor was arrested on Thursday, May 5 while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Bolonia, Spain via Istanbul, Turkey.
According to Babafemi, 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.
In another development, large consignments of psychoactive substances have been intercepted in parts of Northwest, Northeast and North central zones of the country.
“In Kaduna, a drug dealer, Obinna Anene a.k.a Young Alhaji was arrested last Friday at Buwaya Kaduna with 50,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 9 kilogrammes ; 595 tablets of tramadol weighing 318 grammes and 8 tablets of co-codamol weighing 6 grammes.
“On the same day, a trafficker, Alhaji Modu Yahaya was caught with 26.5 kilogrammes cannabis in Damaturu, Yobe State while travelling in a commercial vehicle from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno state,” he said.
Babafemi also disclosed that at least, nine drug dealers were arrested by operatives in Lagos last Thursday during raids in black spots in Mushin Olosha and Akala areas as well as at Langbasa and Ikota in Ajah area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and skuchies
He mentioned those arrested as Kehinde Ilori; Osho Nurudeen; Kamarudeen Isiaka; Kazeem Ishola; Afeez Adebolade; Oguntana Aduragbemi; Chuks Alowai; Mrs. Bola Kazeem and Kehinde Ogunleye.
“In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives on Saturday intercepted a truck carrying 673.3 kilogrammes cannabis along Bassa/Rukuba Barracks road in Jos while the driver and his assistant fled into the bush, and in other parts of the state capital, two dealers; Manga Emmanuel and Yusuf Usman were arrested with 34 pinches of cocaine and 400 grammes of cannabis at old airport and Rikkos respectively,” Babafemi explained.
Speaking on the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of the Lagos airport, Kaduna, Yobe, Lagos and Plateau Commands of the agency for their commitment and dedication to duty.
He, however, charged them and those in other commands across the country not to relent, charging them to sustain the heat on drug cartels. (vitalnews)
