Cocaine

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate exploiting hajj pilgrims as cocaine couriers to Saudi Arabia.

Two intending pilgrims, Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado, were arrested on Monday, May 26, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport during screening for an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah. They were found to have ingested 90 wraps of cocaine between them, weighing a total of 1.04 kilograms.

Following intelligence gathered from their arrest, NDLEA operatives apprehended three alleged sponsors of the operation: Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba, on May 27 and 28 in Kano.

In a related operation, a 60-year-old businessman, Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, was arrested on May 28 at the same airport while boarding a Qatar Airways flight to Iran. He excreted 65 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.41kg.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the agency’s Kano command for its swift action and called for continued vigilance during the hajj season.

“This bust shows how far traffickers are willing to go. We will not let religious pilgrimage be used as a cover for criminal activity,” Marwa stated.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a significant breakthrough in its fight against drug trafficking, arresting four members of a cocaine cartel and declaring a couple wanted in connection with the crime.

According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the agency arrested Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan on April 3, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, as they attempted to export 3.40kg of cocaine to Oman.

Investigations revealed that the duo was allegedly working for a cartel headed by Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade, aka Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun, an Indian resident who has been declared wanted alongside his wife, Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade, aka Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke.

NDLEA operatives also arrested Hamed Abimbola Saheed, a member of the syndicate, on May 14, 2024, in the Abule Egba area of Lagos, and recovered 900 grams of phenacetine, a cutting agent for cocaine, from his residence.

A follow-up operation at the Owoalade couple’s residence in Ogudu Orioke, Lagos, led to the arrest of another suspect and the recovery of a new Toyota RAV4 SUV, 400 grams of cocaine, and other drug paraphernalia.

In related operations, NDLEA officers intercepted cocaine and amphetamine concealed in steel bolts and shea butter at a courier firm in Lagos, and thwarted attempts to export cannabis and opioids to Dubai, China, and the UK.

The agency also arrested several suspects and recovered large quantities of drugs in various operations across the country, including 840kg of cannabis in Lagos, 75,000 pills of opioids in Benue, and 2kg of cannabis and diazepam in Borno.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers involved in the operations and reiterated the agency’s commitment to fighting drug abuse and trafficking.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Cocaine weighing 11.913kg was intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service’s Seme Area Command, with a street value of N3,916,624,147.00.

DSC Hussaini Abdullahi, the Customs Public Relations Officer for Seme Command, confirmed this in a statement.

He added that Area Command intercepted 1,065 jerrycans of petroleum products with a Duty Paid Value of N10,041,198.00 on Wednesday.

He was quoted as saying, “This came after the Area Command initiated offensive patrol against the smuggling of petroleum products along the creeks within the Seme and Badagry.”

“The Customs Area Controller, Compt. Bello Mohammed Jibo stressed that the offensive crackdown on the activities of the petroleum products smugglers is with a mission of getting them arrested wherever they are. He reassured that the Command will continue to make life uncomfortable for the unpatriotic Nigerians trading illegal businesses in the area.

“Speaking earlier on the cocaine seizure, Jibo explained that the substance was intercepted along Seme- Badagry Expressway at about 09:00 hrs on Sunday 23 January 2022.

“Consequently, the substance was subjected to test and verification by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control and was found to be cocaine weighing 11.913kg.

“While appreciating the cooperation of sister agencies and relevant stakeholders at Seme Border, the CAC reiterated the commitment of his Officers and Men in enforcing government fiscal policies for the overall national growth and development.”