NDLEA seizes ephedrine, skunk, laughing gas consignments at Lagos airport

Operatives of Nigeria’s Anti-narcotic Agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have seized various quantities of ephedrine, skunk and nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas concealed in semovita and dry pepper packs being shipped to South Africa and Kenya.

The consignments were intercepted through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos state by members of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO), some of whom were promptly arrested, their mansions raided and their luxury vehicles seized.

The Director, Media and Advocacy of the agency, Mr. Femi BabaFemi disclosed this in a press statement in Abuja on Sunday.

Through credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday 25th August intercepted a notorious drug trafficker, Suleiman Babatunde Oba who is a member of a cartel distributing Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine and Ephedrine between Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.

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BabaFemi said Oba was arrested while attempting to board a Rwanda Air flight to South Africa with two boxes loaded with ephedrine sealed in semovita packs.

According to BabaFemi, the recovered substance is a precursor chemical and active ingredient in the production of methamphetamine.

Another bid to export a consignment of 180 cannisters of laughing gas to South Africa by a freight agent, Oyekola Gbenga Akeem for a fee of Two Million Naira was also frustrated by operatives who seized the cargo and arrested the suspect.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Friday 25th August, succeeded in arresting a drug kingpin, Ngene Emmanuel Onyedikachi, who recruited the fake couple, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum arrested for ingesting 1.822kg and 1.50kg of Cocaine respectively at the Lagos airport on 1st August while on their way to India.

Similar arrests and seizures were made in Lagos, Sokoto and Oyo States by the NDLEA operatives.

BabaFemi said, NDLEA’S operatives have intensified War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), advocacy campaigns to schools, worship places, palaces and local communities among others across the states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

These was through sensitization lectures conducted at Holy Trinity Gospel Church, Ogbomoso, and for Muslim faithful at Jammatul Nasirul Islam Mosque, Ilorin, members of the Association of Hair Stylists in Ado Ekiti, leaders of road transport union in Abeokuta, traders at Kwata market, Awka, pregnant women at primary health care centre, Bonny, Dekara district palace, Babana community in Borgu LGA

and at Noorul Huda Islamiyya school, Kafin Maiyaki.

While commending the officers and men of the Agency across the Commands for their efforts in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities, the Chief Executive of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa charged them to remain steadfast in the operations.