Cocaine, Tramadol Consignments In Vehicle Side Mirrors Intercepted At Lagos Airport

By Bukar BOLORI

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol 225mg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors being sent to Libreville, Gabon through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with not less than three suspects linked to the cargo already arrested in follow-up operations.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said the first batch of the consignment consisting 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.6 kilogrammes were intercepted in a cargo going to Gabon on Air Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday 19th July 2025, disclosing that a popular cargo agent Ihekweme Osinachi handling the shipment was immediately arrested, after which further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect Uzochukwu Chukwurah on Sunday 20th July.

Babafemi said 11 parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 1 kilogramme were later recovered from four additional side mirrors being prepared for export found in the home of Uzochukwu on Monday 21st July, bringing the total number of parcels of cocaine to 68 weighing 2.6 kilogrammes.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives last Friday arrested a businesswoman Mrs. Nwafor Nneka at her shop within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos following the interception of 100 grammes of cocaine and 300 grammes of phenacetine, a cutting agent, concealed in ladies’ lipsticks going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the export shed of the Lagos airport on 10th July 2025.

Babafemi said two cargo agents linked to the shipment were earlier arrested before the eventual arrest of Nneka who runs the criminal trade as a family business with her husband Remigus Nwafor, currently on the run.Nwafor, was said to have in her statement, admitted she bought the lipsticks used to conceal the illicit drugs while her husband handled the actual concealment.

In Abuja, the nation’s capital, NDLEA operatives conducting intelligence-led stop and search operations in Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa areas of the city last Wednesday arrested three dispatch riders: Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28, for distributing illicit substances around the city.

A total of 149.8 grammes of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis were recovered from them, while two other suspects: Aliyu Abubakar, 25; and Adekunle Agbabiaka, 30, were arrested along Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway with 91.1 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, on Saturday.

In Lagos, NDLEA officers acting on intelligence on Saturday arrested Joseph Michael with 3.3 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis in Mushin while Ibrahim Sulaiman was nabbed in Iwaya area of Yaba with 16.5 litres ofskuchies on Friday.

No fewer than 100,000 pills of tramadol capsules were seized from a suspect, Hussein Yusuf, 37, at an NDLEA checkpoint along Vandeikya-Ogoja road in Benue state on Friday, while operatives in Edo state same day raided a warehouse in Ekpoma where a suspect William Alabi, 44, was arrested and 233.5 kilogrammes skunk recovered.

In Borno state, NDLEA operatives at the arrival hall of the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri on Friday intercepted a consignment of 160 pills of tramadol concealed in footwears by a 38-year-old passenger, Umar Aminu who was promptly arrested.

While NDLEA operatives in Ogun state on Friday raided the Oja Odan area and arrested a female suspect, Yahaya Aminat, with 7, 218 pills of opioids mainly tramadol, their counterparts in Oyo state nabbed Oladeji Saka, 54, with 77.5 kilogrammes of skunk at Asanike, Ibadan, just as another suspect Benson Izah, 40, was arrested in Abraka, Delta state with 12.5 kilogrammes skunk, 1 kilogramme tramadol and 14.4 litres of codeine.

In Bayelsa state, NDLEA officers on Friday arrested 52-year-old Chief Emeka Opara and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, along Tantua road, Amassoma where a total of 41,705 tramadol capsules, among other assorted opioids were recovered from their shop and residence, while a suspect Bashir Gambo, 30, was nabbed at Yar Yasa town, Tudun Wada local government area, Kano state, with 61 kilogrammes skunk.

Two suspects: Kabiru Ayinde, 40; and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were last Monday arrested at Ile-Ogbo area of Iwo town, Osun state, where 90 kilogrammes skunk, 36.3 grammes of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus marked SMK 755 YF and ₦228,200.00 cash exhibit were recovered from them.

In like manner, 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.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, MBIAM, FCT, Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Delta, Bayelsa, Benue, Kano and Osun commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.