NDLEA seizes 116 wraps of heroin, cocaine from Brazil returnees

Video: NDLEA seizes 116 wraps of heroin, cocaine from Brazil returnees

Abdullateef Fowewe

Two drug traffickers, Ofoma Sunday and Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, were arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after ingesting a total of 116 wraps of heroin and cocaine, the agency announced on Sunday.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, said, “Two Brazil returnees: Ofoma Sunday and Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu have excreted a total of 116 wraps of heroin and cocaine they ingested after days in observatory custody following their arrest by operatives of the NDLEA at MMIA.”

Ofoma, 46, was first arrested on September 16 at Terminal 2 after arriving from Laos via Brazil on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. A body scan confirmed ingestion of illicit drugs.

Ofoma had travelled to Brazil on September 3 to courier the drugs back to Lagos with the promise of a $2,500 reward.

Following his arrest, a follow-up operation led to the detention of Nweke Jude Chuckwudi, 55, at Eliata Hotel in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

Nweke was coordinating the recovery of the drugs excreted by Ofoma, who expelled 111 wraps of heroin weighing 1.452 kilograms over eight excretions.

Similarly, Ukachukwu was arrested on September 19 during passenger clearance from Brazil via Addis Ababa.

He expelled five large wraps of cocaine weighing 145 grams after a body scan also detected illicit drug insertion.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA Chairman/CEO, emphasised the significance of the arrests noting, “These arrests and seizures represent a significant milestone in our determined effort to dismantle drug trafficking organizations, prioritizing those bent on targeting our productive youth population with illicit substances until they’re no longer able to inflict harm on our communities or misrepresent our country’s image in the global space.”

He praised the efforts of the NDLEA teams stationed at MMIA, DOGI, Adamawa, Zamfara, Edo, Taraba, and Yobe Commands for their successful operations and urged all officers to continue their balanced approach to drug control nationwide.