Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur, for attempting to smuggle 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine to Paris, France.
The arrest occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France flight 844 on Sunday, December 22, 2024.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement that Orizu was intercepted at the boarding gate after refusing to undergo a body scan, citing a supposed medical condition.
“When he was pulled aside for a body scan, he turned down the request claiming his medical condition wouldn’t allow him. He was thereafter taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over a period of seven days,” Babafemi stated.
In his confession, Orizu revealed that he operates a shop at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, where he sells school and travel bags.
He admitted he was promised €3,000 for successfully delivering the illicit drugs in Paris.
He traveled from Lagos to Abuja to catch the Air France flight, believing he could evade detection.
The arrest highlights NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in Nigeria.
Babafemi emphasized the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on drug-related crimes and urged individuals to desist from engaging in such activities, warning of severe consequences for offenders.
This development underscores the persistent challenges posed by drug trafficking networks and the NDLEA’s commitment to dismantling them.
Orizu’s case will serve as a cautionary tale to those contemplating similar acts.