NDLEA Intercepts Drug Trafficker at Abuja Airport with N564m Heroin

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

A 40-year-old Goodluck Igbineweka Odeh has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with two kilogrammes of heroin, which has a street value of N564 million.

Odeh, who concealed the drug in the lining of false bottom of his suitcase, is from Ikpoba Okha Local Government area of Edo state.

He was arrested at the departure lounge of the Abuja airport during an outward clearance of Ethopian aircraft 911 enroute Abuja-Addis Ababa-Italy.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the Head, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, under interrogation, Odeh claimed he has been living in Italy since 2015 when he got into the country through Libya and that he works as a labourer in a farm in Italy with a pay of about 50 Euro a day.

Odeh added that he also works as a “flyer distributor” when farming season is over and gets as much as 50 Euro/day, even as he claimed he came to Nigeria over two weeks ago to see his family in the country and also use same opportunity to buy foodstuffs to sell on his return to Italy.

He disclosed that after spending some days between Edo and Delta states where he bought some foodstuffs, he equally travelled to Lagos to buy part of the foodstuffs and bush meat, which according to him was cheaper.

He however claimed he did not know how the drug found its way into the bag as he bought the suitcase from a second hand material open market in Lagos not knowing that it contained the drug.

Odeh on further interrogation about the market address, replied: “I don’t know the address.”

He said he was accompanied to the market where he bought the suitcase by a man he claimed he first met the day he arrived Lagos from Benin, adding that he came into Abuja from Lagos for onward trip to Italy.

Speaking on the arrest, the Commander, Abuja airport Command of NDLEA, Mr. Kabir Tsakuwa, said charges had already been filed against the suspect while further investigations continue to explore other leads on the case.

Meanwhile the Chairman/CEO of the anti-drug law enforcement agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) in his reaction to the latest drug burst, commended the Commander, officers and men of the Abuja airport for their vigilance.

He said, “wherever the criminal elements go to export or import illicit drugs through our borders, they will surely have the new NDLEA to contend with.”