A 42-year-old Indian lady, Ms Neetu Neetu, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
As contained in press release on Sunday by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the Indian lady was caught with 72 parcels of heroin factory sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.
The Class A drug consignment, weighing a total of 11 kilogrammes, was reportedly recovered from Neetu’s luggage after a thorough search, following processed credible intelligence.
The arrest of the Indian lady was effected during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand via Vietnam and Doha at the Arrival Hall of the Kano Airport on Friday 14 March, 2025.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) in his immediate reaction said the arrest of the Indian lady confirmed “a growing attempt by drug trafficking organisations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through the Nigerian borders.”
He added however that it was “a bid that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence.”
In another interdiction operation in Kano, NDLEA officers, last Thursday, arrested a 45-year-old suspect, Michael Ogundele with a 50-litre steel gas cylinder at Gadar Tamburawa, along Zaria-Kano Road.
“Based on credible intelligence, welding tools were later used to cut the giant cylinder after which 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in it were extracted,” it was added.
In related developments, Sunday Ogar (40) was nabbed at Gunduwawa Area of Kano on last Wednesday with 27kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, while a female suspect, Khadijah Abdullahi (40), was arrested with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Lungun Bulala Yalwa Area of the state last Tuesday.
“In Lagos, the duo of Olumuyiwa Kolawole and Samod Adisa were nabbed with 67.5kg skunk in Mushin just as 100.8kg of same psychoactive substance was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in Anifowoshe Area of Mushin.
“Isah Idris was arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg skunk; 600grams of tramadol 225mg and 30 litres of codeine syrup on Tuesday, 18 March.
“Another suspect, Yahaya Mohamed, was arrested same day in Ikotun Area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine,” it was stated.
Across the country, NDLEA Commands and formations have continued to intensify their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy sensitisation engagements in schools, markets, motor parts, work places and worship centres in the past week.
These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Chrisland School, Ikeja, Lagos; Hakimi Secondary School, Mokwa, Niger State; Marist Comprehensive College, Nteje, Anambra State; Ikole City College, Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti State; Government Day Secondary School, Sunane, Sokoto State; and Government Day Secondary School, Jada, Adamawa state, among others.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, has commended the officers and men of MAKIA, Lagos and Kano commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.
He noted with satisfaction the balance in drug supply and demand reduction efforts of all the formations nationwide, just as he charged them not to relent.
