NDLEA records historic, biggest drug hauls in Lagos of N194.77bn

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday seized illicit drugs worth $278. 25 million (N194.77 billion) at a Lagos warehouse, the biggest drug hauls in the history of drug war in the country.

The operatives of NDLEA busted the batons at a major warehouse in an estate in a lonely area of Ikorodu with about 1.8 tons (1,855 kilograms) of the illicit drug (Cocaine) seized in an operation coordinated by the agency’s Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa.

The Director, Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said the agency has been on the trail of the barons who have been “evasive”, criss-crossing parts of the world.

He said four drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager have been arrested

Babafemi gave the names the arrested kingpins of the cocaine cartel as Soji Jibril, 69; an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo state, Emmanuel Chukwu, 65, who hails from Ekwulobia, Anambra state, Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo state; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa, Ondo state and Kelvin Smith, 42, a native of Kingston, Jamaica.

According to him, they are all members of an international drug syndicate that the agency has been trailing since 2018.

Babafemi told newsmen that the warehouse located at 6, Olukuola Crescent, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, was raided on Sunday 18th September, 2022, while the barons were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday 19th September.

“Preliminary investigation reveals the class A drugs were warehoused in the residential estate from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. They were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums.”

Meanwhile, NDLEA Chairman, Marwa has lauded the officers and men of the agency involved in the extensive investigation including those of the American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA).

“The bust is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they will all go down if they fail to realise that the game has changed.”