The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA has arrested a Madrid, Spain bound drug trafficker, Okonkwo Chimezie Henry at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja Lagos State.
In a Press statement by the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi said “Okonkwo was about boarding a Turkish Airline flight number TK0626 at about 8 pm when he was apprehended at screening 2 points and taken into custody by the NDLEA operatives at the airport. He was subsequently put under observation at the JBTF/NDLEA facility for further investigation.”
According to the statement, “Twenty four hours after putting him under excretion observation, the suspect who has been living in Spain for 10 years excreted 39 wraps of cocaine and subsequently passed out a total of 113 wraps in five excretions. Further investigation reveals he ingested the illicit drug in a hotel in Igando area of Lagos.”
The Commander, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Command of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Garba said, “The suspect excreted 39 wraps weighing 600 grammes at 9.58 am on April 5th,13 wraps weighing 200 grammes at 6.30 pm same day, 16 wraps weighing 250 grammes at 10.30 pm same day, and 32 wraps weighing 500 grammes at 7.30 am on April 6th.“
In the same vein, operatives at the airport have intercepted a 2.8kg of skunk meant for Dubai in UAE through Emirate Airline.
The illicit drug was concealed in crayfish bitter leaves and melons packaged in a sack but was recovered at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA.
The Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa in his reaction, commended officers and men of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the Agency for not allowing criminal elements to take advantage of any opportunity to further their illicit trade and dent Nigeria’s image abroad.
“We all must stay committed to the ongoing offensive action at the airports, seaports, land borders, on the streets of Nigerian cities and across the various drug joints and even in the forests where some are hiding to cultivate and process cannabis Sativa. We must disrupt their illicit trade and dismantle their cartels,“ Marwa charged.
PIAK