US, UAE-bound Drugs Seized at Lagos Airport

*39 arrested in Abuja raids
Michael Olugbode in Abuja

A Nigeria-based Congolese, Kandigu Kadi and a Nigerian, Makowulu Anthony have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the NAHCO and SAHCO export sheds of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for attempting to export controlled and illicit drugs to the United States of America and United Arab Emirates.

A statement by the spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, yesterday said Kandigu was arrested on May 31st, at the NAHCO export shed for attempting to export 2.1 kilogrammes of pentazocine injection and Makowulu was nabbed on June 3, in connection with attempt to export parcels of cannabis sativa concealed in cereals packs to Dubai, UAE through the SAHCO cargo shed.

According to Babafemi, investigations revealed that the pentazocine consignment was being sent to Kinshasa, Congo, while a similar package containing 200 bottles of pentazocine injection intercepted a week earlier at the airport was heading to the US.

He said in his case, Makowulu was caught with eight parcels of cannabis weighing 2.9 kilogrammes concealed in Nutribom Cereals cartons among other natural packs of the cereal, as part of a consolidated cargo meant for different people in Dubai.

In other clampdowns, anti-narcotic officers in Edo intercepted 10,280 tablets of tramadol, 2000 tablets of diazepam, 300 tablets of Swinol, 5000 tablets of Axol and 10 bottles of codeine based syrup in Irrua area of the state.

According to the statement, the Edo officers also destroyed 5.3 hectares of cannabis farm in Oke forest, Ovia North East local government area, as part of efforts to disrupt all cannabis planting activities for the season in the state.

“In Yobe State, NDLEA operatives last Friday, raided Tsohuwar Kasuwa area of Potiskum town, where a notorious drug dealer, Usman Alhaji a.k.a NEPA was arrested and 22 blocks of cannabis sativa recovered from him,” the statement added.

Babafemi added that in the past week, no fewer than 39 suspects were arrested across drug joints raided in parts of the Federal Capital Territory and different quantities of assorted illicit drugs recovered from them.

He said areas raided between June 4 and June 11, included Apo Mechanic (Cashew forest), Apo NEPA, Tora Bora, Gishiri junction, Jabi park, Jabi forest, Jabi Gidan Bola, Deidei area, Rugga area, City Gate, Sabon Lugbe, Basa village and Airport road.

Babafemi said the raid, which continued across Abuja, was a joint operation between the FCT Command of the Agency and the Chairman Monitoring Special Task Force to rid the capital territory of the activities of drug dealers and peddlers.

Commenting on the arrests, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Yobe and FCT Commands as well as the C-MSTF for their resilience. He, however, charged them and others across all commands to remain vigilant and committed to the collective goal of saving Nigeria from the drug scourge.