Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have recovered parcels of cocaine weighing 1.20 kilograms from a Spain-based businessman, Francis Akajiobi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Akajiobi, a 50-year-old man, had concealed the cocaine in the soles of a pair of black sandals he was wearing while attempting to board a flight to Madrid.
A statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said Akajiobi confessed that he was to deliver the cocaine to his friend and neighbour for €5,000.
The statement read, “A Spain-based businessman, 50-year-old Francis Akajiobi, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, after parcels of cocaine weighing 1.20 kilograms were discovered in his pair of sandals while attempting to board his Royal Air Maroc flight to Madrid, Spain.
“The two parcels of cocaine were concealed in the soles of a pair of black sandals Akajiobi was wearing to board his flight when the NDLEA operatives intercepted him on Thursday 25th July 2024. During his preliminary interview, he claimed the consignment was delivered to him at a bar in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and was to deliver it to his friend and neighbour in Spain for a fee of €5,000 upon successful delivery to the recipient.”
Babafemi also said one Makinde Lekan was arrested in connection with 99 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 51.60kg which arrived from Canada.
He said, “In the same vein, a suspect, Makinde S Lekan, has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 99 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 51.60kg that arrived at the SAHCO Imports shed of the Lagos airport on a Turkish Airlines flight from Canada via Istanbul, Turkey.”
Babafemi noted that the NDLEA apprehended a Lagos-Ghana tramadol syndicate kingpin, Chukwuemaka Obodozie, in Lagos with 100,000 tablets of 225 mg tramadol.
He said, “Meanwhile, operatives of a Special Operations Unit targeting syndicates that specialise in shipping large consignments of opioids into neighbouring countries from where they attempt smuggling them into Nigeria in smaller quantities through transport companies, have arrested one of the kingpins, Chukwuemaka Obodozie.
“He was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, July 21, at the Cele bus stop on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos with 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg loaded in two bags shortly after he arrived from Ghana via one of the transport companies plying the Lagos-Ghana route. The intelligence-led operation followed five months of surveillance around Chukwuemeka.”
In Osun State, Babafemi said 17 suspects were arrested in a forest in the Oriade Local Government Area.
He added that 31,250 kilograms of cannabis on 12.5 hectares of farmland were destroyed among others.
Babafemi said, “No fewer than 17 suspects were arrested on Friday, July 26 when the NDLEA operatives raided the Owena forest in Oriade LGA, Osun State, where they destroyed 31,250 kilograms of cannabis on 12.5 hectares of farmland, while 84kg of processed cannabis sativa was recovered along with a single barrel Dane gun.
“Those arrested include: Peter Osuya, 51; Zebron Ode, 46; Dogo Reuben Matthew, 35; Isaac Terna; Joseph David Lawrence, 27; Ugochukwu Victory, 24; Olamilekan Abolarin, 26; Dele Ayibo, 44; Ojo Moses, 21; Nini Ayila, 27; Msughve Clement, 23; Chuks Ogeneku, 40; Dada Aribo, 20; Uche Endurance, 30; Patrick Agba, 21; Osakwe Kennedy, 45; and Ojo Babatunde, 29.”
Babafemi stated that the NDLEA operatives intercepted a bandits’ supplier in Kaduna.
He said, “In Kaduna State, the NDLEA operatives on a stop-and-search patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway on Saturday, July 27, intercepted a 32-year-old lady, Ubaida Aliyu, in possession of 573 rounds of 7.60 live ammunition, which she claimed she was attempting to deliver to bandits in Sokoto.
“While a suspect, Godwin Udochukwu, 35, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 25,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection by the NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, another suspect, Alkasim Mikailu, 35, was nabbed in Kano on a follow-up operation following the seizure of 37,880 ampoules of Diazepam injection along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.”
Babafemi noted that Abioye Adeniyi and Rafiu Lekan were arrested with 55 jumbo wraps of Ghana Loud b at Oloko along the Badagry-Seme Road, Lagos on July 26.
He said Samson Ifeayi Egwutouhi, 30, was nabbed the same day by officers on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Expressway with 20 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa that weighed 10.500kg while in Bauchi State, two suspects, Suleiman Yahaya, 50, and Ibrahim Bello (a.k.a Special), 35, were on Thursday, July 25 with 315 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 204.750kg along Maiduguri bye-pass, Bauchi town,” Babafemi stated.
