Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 52-year-old businessman, Ejiofor Godwin Emeka, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, for trafficking 127 wraps of cocaine concealed in his body.
According to the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, Ejiofor, who operates boutiques in Lagos and Onitsha, Anambra State, was apprehended upon arrival from Bangkok, Thailand, via an Ethiopian Airlines flight on October 8, following credible intelligence.
A body scan revealed he had ingested and concealed the drugs in his private part, while 58 wraps were recovered immediately, Ejiofor later excreted 69 additional pellets during observation, bringing the total to 127 wraps weighing 1.388 kilograms.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives intercepted several illicit drug consignments at courier companies in Lagos between October 9 and 10.
These included 1.74 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in glass ceramics, various quantities of pentazocine, tramadol, and cocaine concealed in vitamin containers, handbags, black soaps, and herbal pack, all destined for the United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, officers intercepted 27,510 pills of rohypnol concealed in sachets of alcoholic drinks bound for South Africa.
Follow-up operations led to the arrest of the alleged mastermind, 46-year-old Samuel Omoruyi, alias Yellow, at Oyingbo Market.
The same day, an Italy-based businessman, Enehizena Augustine Uyimwen, was arrested for attempting to export over 6,000 opioid tablets hidden in food items to Europe.
NDLEA operatives also recorded significant seizures across several states. In Edo, a raid in Etsako Central yielded 47 kilograms of cannabis, while in Osun, two suspects were arrested with 735 kilograms of the same substance.
Other arrests and seizures were made in Rivers, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, and Kaduna states, where various quantities of cannabis, tramadol, and other psychotropic substances were recovered.
Mr. Babafemi reaffirmed the agency’s commitment under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) to sustain the nationwide offensive against drug trafficking and abuse.
Reporting By Nosa Aituamen