Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after discovering 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage as he prepared to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
The suspect, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was intercepted at the departure hall on Saturday while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 bound for Heathrow Airport in London.
This was contained in a statement by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
According to the statement, officers discovered blocks of cocaine hidden inside food items, including ground dry pepper.
The drugs were carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons before being packed in the elderly suspect’s luggage.
Emeka reportedly told authorities he was travelling to the United Kingdom for a vacation.
However, a search of his bags led to the discovery of the illicit substance weighing a total of 11kg.
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites on March 9 while she allegedly attempted to sell small quantities of cocaine and a strain of cannabis known as Canadian Loud.
Officials said Olalowo was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest.
She later told investigators the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently arrested.
Authorities said further investigation revealed Olatunji had previously been convicted and sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a similar offence in 2015.
NDLEA officers also carried out operations at Ebute Ero and Idumota Market, where several suspects were arrested in connection with the trafficking of opioids.
Two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, were arrested with 68,000 pills of tramadol while allegedly preparing to transport the drugs to Benin.
A follow-up raid at Idumota Market led to the arrest of Nnamdi Cyprian, believed to be the owner of the consignment.
Officers recovered an additional 1,000 tablets of tramadol prepared for dispatch through a waybill service.
Another raid on March 13 resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin, from whose shop officers recovered 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
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In northern Nigeria, NDLEA operatives arrested Magaji Dan Azumi, 42, in Bebeji area of Kano with 386kg of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
Another suspect, Isah Wako, was arrested in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory with 282.2kg of the same substance.
In Edo State, officers raided the Egwa Forest Reserve where a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was arrested.
The agency said more than 4,218kg of skunk cultivated on two farms in the reserve were destroyed, while 16.5kg was recovered.
Meanwhile, a joint inspection by NDLEA, Customs officials and other security agencies at the Apapa Seaport uncovered 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup concealed in two containers.
The shipments had been placed on a watch list by the NDLEA following intelligence reports that opioids were hidden inside the containers.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo and the Federal Capital Territory for the arrests and seizures.
He also praised commands nationwide for balancing enforcement operations with advocacy through the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which continued last week with sensitization programs in several schools across the country.
The NDLEA noted that investigations into the arrests and seizures are ongoing.
