NDLEA Arrests Fleeing Auto Spare Parts Dealer Over 77.50kg Cocaine, Phenacetin Seizure

By Bukar BOLORI

An automobile spare parts dealer Levi Ubodoeze have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) barely three weeks after a manhunt was launched for him over a recent attempt to export two kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi on Sunday read: Following the seizure of the cocaine consignment at a logistics company in Aspanda, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos on 21st February 2025, swift contacts were made with Angolan authorities who in turn arrested the supposed recipient of the illicit drug in Angola, after which the identity of the sender was unraveled.

He said this resulted in NDLEA operatives tracking Ubodoeze to his house in Ago palace way area of Isolo, Lagos where he was caught in a KIA Sport Utility Vehicle trying to escape last Thursday.

According to Babafemi, a search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a large quantity of phenacetin, a cutting agent for cocaine weighing 75.5 kilogrammes packaged and branded as semolina, while a digital scale used in weighing illicit drugs was recovered from his house.

The NDLEA spokesman said in his statement, Ubodoeze admitted dealing in cocaine while selling motor spare parts at Ladipo market, Mushin area of Lagos.

He stated that the supposed recipient of the illicit consignment in Angola alerted him the moment he was arrested in Angola hence his bid to evacuate his house and flee from the area shortly before NDLEA officers swooped on him.

In another clampdown, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos have intercepted a cargo of cannabis candies imported from the United Kingdom and meant for sale at a Kiddies Mart, located at 46 Ogunlana drive, Surulere, Lagos.

The consignment, according to Babafemi, was seized on 27th February upon its arrival as a consolidated cargo on Allied Airways.

He said preliminary field test and subsequent forensic analysis of the candies established that the substance was laced with a strong strain of cannabis, and as a result, the recipient of the shipment, Adedamola Taylor, was arrested last Tuesday after initial arrest of a freight agent.

Babafemi said in his statement, Adedamola claimed the consignment was sent to him by his UK-based brother Babatunde Alabi, to deliver to one Musurat Lawal, who operates the Kiddies shop owned by Alabi in Surulere area of Lagos. A follow up operation at the shop led to the arrest of Musurat.

Two suspects: China Michael and Igbo Ekene were arrested last Friday when their commercial truck was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Shibiri area of Ojo, Lagos.

A search of the vehicle revealed 248 compressed blocks of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 128 kilogrammes were concealed in the underbelly of the truck.

In another interdiction operation in Lagos, three suspects: Osinachi Nwachukwu; Tochukwu Okafor and John Mbakwe were last Friday arrested at Mosalasi junction, Mushin, with 301,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids.

In Kano, 65-year-old Yahaya Haruna was nabbed with 19.2 kilogrammes skunk along Gadar Tamburawa road last Thursday while 60-year-old Musa Bello (a.k.a Jajere) was arrested with 212 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Medile, Kumbotso local council area.

No fewer than 442,594 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 1,274 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered by NDLEA operatives who raided the house and warehouse of a 37-year-old suspect, Blessing Okoronkwo at 19 Ubani Street, Aba, Abia state last Tuesday.

In Benue state, 50,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from two suspects: Nwaeze Onyeabor, 47, and Tombo Thomas, 23, last Wednesday when their vehicle was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Ugbema junction, Katsina Ala area of the state.

In Osun state, a suspect, Asimiyu Muibi, 50, was arrested on last Tuesday with 162 kilogrammes skunk at Modakeke, Ife East local government area while 95 kilogrammes of same substance was recovered from a Toyota Camry car marked KSF 72 GW during a raid in Ede same day.

A suspect, Etim Stephen, 55, was arrested when NDLEA officers last Wednesday raided the Amahor community forest, in Igueben area of Edo State where 9,514.625 kilogrammes skunk was destroyed on 3.805846 hectares of cannabis farm land.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Abia, Benue, Osun and Edo Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.