NDLEA nab businessmen, hotel attendant for drug trafficking in Abuja, Lagos

Two Lagos-based businessmen, ThankGod Emenike and Chidike Prince, were nabbed for smuggling cocaine and heroin within their stomachs while aboard flights bound for Hong Kong and France.

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials arrested the suspects at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the country’s capital, on October 20 and 21.

Furthermore, NDLEA operatives apprehended Agbo Tochukwu, who was in possession of 58 parcels of skunk, totaling 29.10 kilograms, while attempting to board a flight to Oman.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi made this announcement in a statement on Sunday, revealing that Tochukwu was detained at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.

“Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested two businessmen at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, with consignments of cocaine and heroin going to Hong Kong and France concealed in their bellies,” the statement read.

“While 38-year-old ThankGod Chimamkpa Emenike was arrested at the boarding gate of the Abuja airport on Friday 20th October during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France flight 818 to Paris, another passenger, 41-year-old Agbo Chidike Prince was taken into NDLEA custody on Saturday 21st October while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 950 to Hong Kong via Addis Ababa.”

“They were both arrested and detained after their body scan revealed they ingested illicit drugs. After days in custody and a number of excretions, Emenike excreted 72 wraps of heroin weighing 1.171 kilograms, while Chidike discharged 49 pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 998.53 grams. In his statement, Chidike claimed he is a businessman dealing in spare parts at the Alaba International market in the Ojo area of Lagos. He added that he was to be paid N3.5 million which he intended to use to import goods from Hong Kong.”

According to Babafemi, Tochukwu admitted that he had previously been employed as a hotel attendant in Oman but turned to drug trafficking.

He also mentioned that the agency, in its different operations nationwide, seized a total of 2,197 kilograms of illicit drugs in Ondo and 541 kilograms of illicit drugs in Oyo and Lagos.

He stated, “Meanwhile, a total of 2,197 kilograms of skunk were recovered in four interdiction operations in parts of Ondo state within four days. While 1,165.5 kgs were seized in Uso, Owo LGA on Wednesday 25th October, a consignment of 691 kgs was recovered from Ukugu forest in Ipele the previous day, Tuesday 24th October. A suspect, Ifeanyi Abuguja, 32, was arrested with 87 kgs of the same substance on Monday 23rd October at Agula Road, Ogbese, Akure North LGA, while 253.5 kgs were recovered at Ogbese market in Akure North LGA on Thursday 26th October.”

“In Oyo state, two suspects: Ayo Dele, 19, and Olaitan Ahmed, 23, were arrested with 160 grams of cannabis at a drug joint at Nalende area of Ibadan metropolis on Sunday 22nd October while a follow-up operation at their warehouse in the same area led to the recovery of 332kgs of the same substance.”

“While operatives of the Lagos Command of the Agency intercepted and recovered a vehicle loaded with 209kgs of Loud at Okun Ajah area of the state on Monday 23rd October, their counterparts in Gombe on Saturday 28th October recovered an abandoned consignment of 401 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 392kgs and 21,000 capsules of tramadol at Tumfure area of the state.”