Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, while travelling to New Delhi, India, with 1.550 kilograms of cocaine.
The suspect was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja-Lagos, with the drug consignment cleverly concealed within the side walls and railings of his bag.
Spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi announced the arrest of the businessman in a statement on Sunday.
“Nwankwo who deals in marbles in Lagos was arrested at the departure hall of terminal II of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
“A search of his check-in bag uncovered 1.550 kilograms of cocaine factory-fitted in the walls and railings of his bag.
“In a candid confession that lays bare the desperation that fuels the drug trade, Nwankwo said he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the ₦23 million he paid for the consignment, with the expectation of selling it in India for as much as N100 million.
“With his assets gone, and Nwankwo’s dream of transiting from a marble trader to a drug kingpin effectively shattered following his arrest, the suspect remains in custody awaiting prosecution and likely time in jail,” Banafemi said.
In another operation, NDLEA said its operatives, acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse within a residential compound at 20, Hakeem Dosumu street, Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos.
He said the raid led to the discovery of a massive stockpile of codeine-based syrup.
“A total of 3,776 cartons, comprising 377,600 bottles of the controlled substance, valued at over N2.6 billion, were recovered between Friday, 7th and Saturday, 8th August 2026,” the statement siad.
Also, the NDLEA said its operatives in another intelligence-led operation carried out on Wednesday, 14th August, 2026, at the residence of a 55-year-old kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, at 37 Ogundare street, Ipaja Estate, Ipaja area of Lagos, recovered 324 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a street value of Nine Hundred and Seventy-Two Million Naira (N972,000,000).
Also recovered from the suspect were a Mercedes-Benz car and a Toyota Corolla car, the statement said.
“In Kwara, two suspects: Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, were on Thursday, 13th August arrested at Kam Wire area of Ilorin with 55.96kg skunk in a truck marked DKA 350 XL recovered, while two other suspects ; 70-year-old grandpa, Abdulfatai Oyelaran and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, were nabbed by NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday,12th August.
“Recovered from their Toyota Sienna vehicle marked FFA-115KA, include: 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection.
“A total of 124,100 pills of tramadol; 786 bottles of codeine syrup; 2,598 tablets of rohypnolb; 4,800 tablets of diazepam; 470 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from two suspects: Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, along Onitsha/Asaba expressway on Thursday, 13th August, while another suspect, Emeka Tony, 50, was nabbed with 1,244 pieces of cartridges and monetary exhibit of eight million naira (N8,000,000) only along Kwale/Ozoro expressway on Wednesday, 12th August.
“A Toyota Corolla car with registration number MKD 341 EA was intercepted by NDLEA operatives along Riyom/Jos road, Jos, Plateau State where 239,490 caps of tramaforce, a brand of tramadol were recovered and a suspect Kasum Sherif arrested.
‘In Kano, six suspects were arrested on Monday, 10th August by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Zaria-Kano road.
“They include: Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39.
“Large consignments of opioids were recovered from them include 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol, and others as well as 360 grams of cocaine, 99.8 grams of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and and 2.7 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
“Also in Kano, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 14th August raided the Zawaciki Gida Dubu, Kumbotso LGA, where they recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg and arrested two suspects: Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24 in YH connection with the seizure.
“A total of 4,628.9775kg skunk was destroyed on two cannabis farms that measured 1.851591 hectares at Ugboku/Igbanke forest, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo State where a suspect Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested in one of the farms during a raid by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 12th August.
“Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was nabbed with 25.857kg Loud and 93 grams of meth during a raid of drug joints at Oluku area of Benin city on Friday 14th August, ” NDLEA stated in the press release.
The Agency further disclosed that the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities of its various commands received a boost during the week in review.
It listed some of the activities to include ; WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Madarasatu Sheikh Muhammad Rabi’u Arabic School, Kano and Olomu Junior Secondary School, Ajah, Lagos state, among others.
In his reaction to the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, retired Brig. – Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended officers, men and women of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta Commands of the agency.
Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
