The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a 26-year-old nursing student, Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma, in an attempt to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine to India.
Esther, a 200-level nursing student at Noida International University, Uttar Pradesh, India, was arrested at Royal Park Hotel, Sabon Gari, Kano, on January 16, 2025, a few hours before her scheduled Qatar Airways flight to Delhi.
In a statement signed by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that the arrest followed a sting operation involving the interception of a drug courier, Cosmas Okorie, along the Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi State.
Cosmas, 31, was caught transporting the cocaine concealed inside an audio speaker.
He was traveling in a commuter bus from Lagos to Kano.
A follow-up operation led to Esther’s arrest at 11:30 p.m. at the hotel in Kano, where she awaited the consignment.
The statement revealed that Esther was recruited by a drug cartel in India and funded to travel to Nigeria for the Christmas and New Year holidays.
To avoid detection, she stayed in a hotel in Enugu before being flown to Abuja and then Kano, where she was instructed to ingest the 76 pellets of cocaine.
Esther confessed she was promised $5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs.
The NDLEA also reported other successes in its fight against drug trafficking:
Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Highway: Four suspects were arrested with over 38,000 tramadol pills concealed in speakers and clothing.
Lagos Raids: Multiple seizures included 1,610kg of cannabis, tramadol, Canadian Loud, and methamphetamine. Over ₦623,000 in cash was also recovered.
Kano Operations: Arrests included suspects in possession of skunk, rubber solutions, and a psychoactive substance called “Suck and Die”.
Kwara and Taraba States: Seizures included tramadol pills, cannabis, and Molly tablets.
The NDLEA vowed to continue its operations to dismantle drug trafficking networks across Nigeria.
This incident highlights the persistent challenge of drug trafficking and the importance of vigilance in combating these crimes.
The NDLEA continues to urge Nigerians to report suspicious activities and support its efforts to maintain a drug-free society.