| Emmanuel Okechuku Orjinze. |
Operatives
of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 48-year-old
Paris, France-bound businessman, Emmanuel Okechuku Orjinze for ingesting 111
wraps of cocaine, which he excreted after days of observation in the agency’s
custody following his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA,
Abuja.
Okechukwu
who also claims he is a professional footballer in Europe was arrested on
Tuesday 21st May during the outward clearance of Airfrance flight AF 878 from
Abuja to Paris, France. After a body scan confirmed he ingested illicit drugs,
he was taken into custody where he excreted a total of 111 pellets of cocaine
that weighed 1.603 kilograms over a period of three days. The suspect claimed
he does business in the maritime sector while still scouting for any European
football club to engage him.
In
the same vein, NDLEA officers operating at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos have dismantled another drug trafficking syndicate at
the airport. This followed the arrest of four members of the network and the
seizure of a total of 8kg of methamphetamine and 7.60kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of
cannabis imported from South Africa.
The
lid was blown off the syndicate when an official within the airport system was
intercepted with a backpack and a bag at the departure hall of Terminal 1 of
the airport by NDLEA officers with the support of Aviation Security officers on
Tuesday 21st May 2024. A search of the bags led to the discovery of the illicit
substances.
A
swift follow-up operation at Ajao Estate area of Lagos led to the arrest of two
other members of the syndicate: Chris Nwadozie and Chinedu Nwaosu. Further
investigation led to the arrest of another member of the cartel working within
the airport system on Saturday 25th May.
In
a related development, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos
airport have arrested a freight agent, Sonubi Mariam Abiodun over her attempt
to cargo 8 parcels of cocaine weighing 2kg concealed in three out of six paint
buckets containing shea butter packaged for export to the United Kingdom on
Wednesday 22nd May.
In
another part of Lagos, precisely at Igbo Elerin in Ojo local government area,
NDLEA officers on Tuesday 21st May arrested a suspect, Odumegwu Obijofor
producing and distributing skuchies, a mixture of black currant and illicit
drugs. No fewer than 2,480 litres of the New Psychoactive Substance, NPS, were
recovered from his clandestine factory when he was arrested.
In
Cross River state, while Ogar Emmanuel, was arrested with 2.5kg of cannabis at
Ukpada Utugwan village, 29 sacks of the same substance weighing 290kg were
recovered from the warehouse of another suspect, Usani Ikpi, who is currently
at large. Three suspects: Sa’adu Sule, 23; Mukhtar Nura, 23; and Hamza Nura,
18, were nabbed at Jabiri Funtua, Katsina state on Friday 24th May with 129
blocks of cannabis weighing 70kg coming from Ogere, Ogun state.
No
fewer than five suspects including: Ezekiel Munda, 30; and Sule Mustapha, 21,
were arrested by NDLEA operatives on
Thursday 23rd May during raids at Karu Abattoir, Jikwoyi and Tora Bora hill
area of FCT, Abuja, where 95.01kg of cannabis and different quantities of
opioids were recovered from them.
In
Edo state, operatives arrested a physically challenged notorious drug dealer,
Zekere Sufianu, 45, at Auchi town on Wednesday 22nd May. At the time of his
arrest, he was found with 751 grams of Loud, 178 grams of tramadol and pills of
swinol.
In
like manner, the various commands of the Agency across the country
continued
with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week. Some
of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of
Baptist Grammar School, Iresi, Osun; students and teachers of Anwar-Ul-Islam
Grammar School, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo state; students of Shalom Secondary
School, Saminaka, Kaduna; students of Government Day Secondary School, Gandu,
Gombe; students of Pakoto Senior High School, Ifo, Ogun state; students of
Nwafor-Orizu Demonstration Secondary School, Awka, Anambra and muslim faithful
at Central Mosque, Abudu, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo state.
While
commending the officers and men of the NAIA, MMIA, FCT, Lagos, Cross River,
Katsina, and Edo Commands of the Agency for their outstanding feats in the past
week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa
(Retd) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the
country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures.