By Kazeem awaris
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of imported cannabis, popularly known as loud, and a 34-year-old South African woman allegedly attempting to smuggle 36.65kg of cocaine out of Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The arrests formed part of a nationwide crackdown in which operatives also apprehended several suspects, including a physically challenged woman in Delta State, and recovered large consignments of illicit drugs across multiple states.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the operations in a statement on Sunday, detailing how investigations into the cocaine seizure led to the arrest of a Lagos-based car dealer allegedly linked to the South African suspect.
Babafemi said the South African woman, identified as Qhina Beauty, was arrested on October 7 at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa through Doha.
A search of her two travelling bags reportedly led to the discovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, concealed in seven parcels and mixed with dried pepper.
According to the NDLEA spokesperson, the suspect told investigators she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment and had been promised R20,000 upon successful delivery.
He said investigations subsequently led to the arrest of 46-year-old car dealer Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, following surveillance at his residence in Shasha.
Umunnakwe allegedly admitted receiving the South African woman at the airport and arranging accommodation for her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin before moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport ahead of her departure.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old Nigerian-American realtor based in Richmond, Texas, following her arrival from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight on October 21.
Babafemi said a search of her two checked-in boxes uncovered 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg, concealed in a box with gift-wrapping paper.
The agency said Ubong claimed the box had been delivered to her residence in the United States by her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, identified as Jibola.
Drug haul across states
Beyond the airport arrests, NDLEA operatives recorded seizures of cannabis, pharmaceutical opioids and other illicit substances in Lagos, Delta, Oyo, Kano, Taraba, Niger, Bauchi, Ondo and Edo states.
In Lagos, operatives of a special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti-Osa area on October 23, recovering 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.
In Delta State, a 51-year-old suspect, Peter Ugochukwu, was arrested in Warri with a large cache of pharmaceutical opioids, including 29,350 tramadol capsules, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 Rohypnol tablets, 3,500 diazepam tablets and injectable drugs.
The agency said other substances were also recovered from the suspect, who was transferred from the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State alongside a white Hummer bus.
In a separate operation at Enhere Junction, Warri, NDLEA operatives arrested Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, a physically challenged woman, on October 19 with 6kg of skunk.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, operatives arrested 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi on October 19 after he allegedly escaped arrest during an earlier operation on September 16, when officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence in Adamasingba.
In Kano State, a raid in the Gerawa area on October 22 led to the arrest of 30-year-old Murtala Lawan and the seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.
In Taraba State, officers arrested 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area on October 23 with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg.
The agency also received a suspect from the police following an arrest at Dakka village, Bali LGA, where 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg were recovered.
In Niger State, 26-year-old Emmanuel Ekene was arrested on the Sabo-Kainji road in Borgu LGA on October 19 with 64,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
In Bauchi State, NDLEA operatives arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, at Nasaru town in Ningi LGA on October 21, seizing 379kg of cannabis packed in seven jumbo sacks.
In Ondo State, an intelligence-led raid on a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South, on October 20 led to the recovery of 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583kg.
In Edo State, operatives destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West LGA, with an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg. They also burnt 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and retained 97kg as exhibits.
A separate operation at Ewe community in Owan West led to the arrest of 42-year-old Mary Edokhai with 35kg of cannabis.
Marwa commends operatives
Meanwhile, the NDLEA said its commands and formations continued public enlightenment activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities across the country.
The agency listed sensitisation programmes in schools in Oyo, Niger, Ogun, Kano, Enugu, Anambra and Osun states among its activities during the week.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended personnel of the MMIA, Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta commands for their vigilance and intelligence-led operations.
He urged them and other officers nationwide to sustain efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
