A Nigerian-born Ethiopian ex-convict, Onyeka Charles Madukolu, has been caught with 5.90kilograms of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The ex-covict was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), last Friday.
This was as NDLEA intercepted and arrested the producer of 26,600 bottles of Akuskura in Kano State.
The anti-narcotic agents also seized 18 pump action guns, 2,300 cartridges in Kogi State.
The Nigerian-born Ethiopian ex-convict was caught with the illegal hard drug which he imported into the country and found concealed in cans of deodorants and ladies’ lip gloss.
Madukolu, who was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in Ethiopia for drug trafficking offences, was released from prison in 2020.
But the ex-convict was again arrested at the Lagos Airport on his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
As contained in a release by the NDLEA Head of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a search of his luggage revealed that he concealed 5.90kg cocaine inside cans of deodorants and female lip gloss.
“During preliminary interview, he claimed to have gone into the drug business to raise fresh capital to start a legitimate business after his release from Ethiopian prison in 2020.
“The father of two kids, one each from a Nigerian woman and a Brazilian lady, said he was into motor spare parts business before going into the criminal trade.
“The 44-year-old indigene of Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State said he was expecting to be paid N2million on successful delivery of the illicit drug in Nigeria,” Babafemi stated.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives, last Tuesday, intercepted another trafficker, Chukwu Kingsley on his way to Rome, Italy on an Asky Airline flight.
“A search of his luggage shows he had concealed among food condiments 11,460 tablets of tramadol 225mg with a gross weight of 5.7kg and 39 bottles of codeine syrup.
“The 49-year-old suspect is a known haulage agent who hails from Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State,” it was stated in the release.
Also at the Lagos Airport, a freight agent, Lawal Adeyemi, was arrested same day for attempting to export some sachets of lexotan among other non-controlled drugs to Liberia.
This was NDLEA operatives equally seized 593.90 kilograms of khat leaf at the NAHCO import shed of the airport.
The seizure was made, last Thursday, after a joint examination of the cargo by a combined team of security agencies.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA said a notable producer of new psychoactive substance, popularly called Akuskura, Qasim Ademola, has been arrested by anti-narcotic officers.
The arrest followed the interception of 26, 600 bottles of the illicit substance meant for distribution across northern states.
“The consignment was seized on Thursday 15th September along Zaria-Kano road, Gadar Tamburawa, Kano.
“The 39-year-old proprietor from Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo state and three of his distributors were arrested in follow up operations,” Babafemi stated.
In Kogi State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Okene-Abuja Expressway, on Saturday, intercepted a J5 vehicle coming from Onitsha enroute Kaduna-Zaria.
Found on the vehicle were 18 pieces of pump action rifles and 1,300 cartridges, while the two suspects conveying the arms and ammunition, Chukwudi Aronu, (51) and Shuaibu Gambo (23), were arrested.
“Another suspect, Anthony Agada (37), conveying 1,000 cartridges, was equally nabbed in a bus coming from Onitsha to Abuja same day.
“1,404 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,040 ampoules of pentazocine injection were seized from another vehicle coming from Onitsha enroute Sokoto.
“The receiver, Stanley Raymond (39), and the sender, Shadrack Ifediora (46), arrested in follow up operations in Sokoto and Anambra, respectively.
“In Kaduna, a drug dealer, Mohammed Mustapha Dalhatu (a.k.a Dawa), was arrested at Sabon Gari Zaria with eight bags of cannabis sativa weighing 67kg.
“Another [one], Maikudi Hassan, [was] arrested at Gubuci Village of Ikara Local Government Area with five bags of cannabis weighing 54.2kg.
“On Thursday, 15 September, operatives also arrested Mary Ugwu and Hawwa Idi, at Anchau town, Kubau Local Government Area.
“[They were caught] with 721 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 37,000 tablets of exol-5 and nine ampoules of diazepam injection as well as 6.8kg of rubber solution.
“In Edo, operatives recovered 285kg cannabis in two raids at Okpuje, Owan West LGA, on Friday, 16 September.
“In Lagos, 972.5kg of the same substance was recovered from an electronic shop at Alaba Int’l market and one of the suspects, Mrs. Ebere Aja (38), was arrested.
“No less than 335.1kg of cannabis was also seized in a raid at Kwanar Kundum area of Bauchi Town, with two suspects: Usman Garba and Najib Ibrahim, arrested,” it was stated in the release.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has directed the Kogi State Command to immediately hand over the arms and ammunition seized to the police for further investigation.
He also commended the officers and men of the command as well as their counterparts in MMIA, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Lagos and Bauchi for their vigilance and resilience.
The NDLEA chairman also charged them and others across the country to remain focussed as they daily discharge their responsibilities.
