NDLEA arrests Lagos businessman with N23m cocaine, seizes drugs worth billions nationwide
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA
Abdullateef Fowewe
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old Lagos businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, with 1.550 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage as he attempted to fly to New Delhi, India.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect “liquidated all his assets to chase a dream of quick riches in the illicit drug trade” before his arrest.
“Nwankwo who deals in marbles in Lagos was arrested at the departure hall of terminal II of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India,” Babafemi said.
According to the agency, Nwankwo confessed he sold his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the ₦23 million he paid for the consignment, hoping to sell it in India for as much as ₦100 million.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace, Okota, Lagos, recovering 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at over ₦2.6 billion.
Another intelligence-led raid on the residence of 55-year-old alleged kingpin Shoremi Kayode in Ipaja, Lagos, led to the recovery of 324 kilograms of Colorado cannabis, two cars, and drugs worth ₦972 million.
In Kwara State, two suspects were arrested with 55.96kg of skunk in a truck, while two others were nabbed on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway with 52,000 pentazocine and 6,000 tramadol ampoules.
On the Onitsha–Asaba expressway, two men were caught with over 124,000 tramadol pills and other psychotropic tablets; another suspect was arrested along Kwale–Ozoro expressway with 1,244 cartridges and ₦8 million.
In Plateau State, a Toyota Corolla was intercepted along Riyom–Jos road with 239,490 caps of Tramaforce (tramadol).
In Kano, six suspects were arrested along Zaria–Kano road with nearly 729,000 pills of tramadol and rohypnol, 360g of cocaine, 99.8g of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2.7kg of Loud cannabis.
Also in Kano, two suspects were arrested with 106.8kg of skunk in Kumbotso LGA.
In Edo State, NDLEA destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk on two cannabis farms in Orhionmwon LGA and arrested two suspects, including one with 25.857kg of Loud and 93g of meth in Benin City.
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, delivering sensitization lectures to schools in Kano and Lagos.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended officers in MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta for the week’s arrests and seizures, praising commands nationwide for balancing supply and demand reduction efforts.
