By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Another attempt to push cocaine through Nigeria’s export channels has collapsed under the watch of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with investigators tracing the shipment to a 55-year-old businessman in Lagos.
The suspect, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, a clothing trader at the popular Balogun Market, Lagos Island, was arrested on Thursday, July 23, over an alleged attempt to export 3.30 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside the walls of cartons used to package foodstuffs bound for the United Kingdom.
His arrest followed the interception of the consignment at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 22, prompting investigators to track everyone connected to the failed shipment.
Three cargo agents were initially arrested before operatives traced the consignment to Kenneth Okakpu, who allegedly delivered it for export.
Okakpu’s arrest led investigators to Onuigbo, identified as the alleged kingpin behind the syndicate, before he was apprehended while attempting to send another cocaine consignment to the United Kingdom.
Details of the operation are contained in a statement emailed to Persecondnews on Sunday by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the agency, the three cargo agents identified as Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, whose arrests helped investigators unravel the alleged trafficking network.
The operation was part of a series of interdiction exercises carried out by the agency across the country, resulting in fresh arrests, major drug seizures and the recovery of military-grade ammunition.
A separate examination led to the seizure of a 2.80-kilogramme consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, linked to 31-year-old entrepreneur Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo.
The consignment arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight on Monday, July 20, while Emmanuella was arrested at her Surulere residence on Tuesday, July 21, following the seizure.
In another enforcement operation at the Lagos airport cargo terminal, operatives intercepted 2,240,000 pills of Tapentadol 250mg worth over ₦2.2 billion during a joint examination of cargo on Friday, July 24.
The shipment arrived from India aboard an Air Maroc flight after intelligence received and processed by the agency pointed investigators to the consignment.
The seizure came on the heels of the interception of a consignment of tramadol buried inside containers of black soap heading to the United Kingdom through a courier firm in Lagos on Wednesday, July 22.
Another joint operation at Apapa Seaport on Monday, July 20, uncovered a container carrying three vehicles used to conceal 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud weighing 2,388.5 kilogrammes.
The agency estimated the seized consignment to have a street value exceeding ₦7.1 billion.
Elsewhere, in Katsina and Kaduna also disrupted attempts to move military-grade ammunition concealed during transportation.
Mustapha Sani, 30, was arrested during a patrol operation at Baure in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State with 323 rounds comprising 200 rounds of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition.
While Abubakar Amadu, 30, was intercepted during a stop-and-search exercise at Jere along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with 73 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition hidden inside kegs of red oil.
The agency said both suspects had been handed over to the relevant security agency for further investigation.
In Edo State, raid operations at Ilushi community in Esan South-East Local Government Area on Sunday, July 19, led to the recovery of 1,286 kilogrammes of cannabis and 86 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds from a warehouse.
Operatives also arrested Ojore Onweze, 45, with 60 kilogrammes of skunk, while George Agwumede, 30, was found with another 13 kilogrammes of the same substance.
The agency equally focused on drug demand reduction through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, with commands and formations taking sensitisation programmes to schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities across the country.
Retired Brig.-Gen Mohamed Marwa applauded the officers and men of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), MMIA, Apapa, Edo, Kaduna and Katsina Commands for the successful operations.
He charged them to continue the agency’s ongoing balanced approach to drug control efforts through enforcement and preventive education.
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