The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced the interception of two boats carrying 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, at Eleko Beach in Lekki, Lagos, during a midnight operation on Christmas Eve.
Six foreign nationals were arrested in connection with the shipment, which had been smuggled into Nigeria via the waterways from Ghana. According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the suspects include two Ghanaians, Godsway John (38) and Freedom Kelvin (33), and four Beninese nationals: Chegoun Hounsou (23), Gadabor Nyameto (47), Adantg Sasa (34), and Ayao Kayivi (21).
In a separate operation, the NDLEA apprehended a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Arthur, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday, December 22, as he attempted to board an Air France flight to Paris. The agency reported that Orizu raised suspicion during passenger clearance by refusing to undergo a body scan, claiming medical reasons.
“He was subsequently taken into custody for excretion observation, during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of Class A drugs over a period of seven days.
“In his statement, Orizu claimed to own a shop at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, where he sells school and travel bags. He added that he was promised 3,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Paris.
“He had travelled from Lagos to the Abuja airport to connect to his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection,” Babafemi added.
Babafemi also disclosed that two suspects were arrested in separate operations for possession of compressed cannabis sativa.
He said, “A suspect, Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested in possession of 40 album-size parcels of compressed cannabis sativa, weighing 35kg, on Christmas Day, 25th December, at Central Motor Park, Katsina. Another suspect, Umar Ahmed, 47, was nabbed along the Zaria-Malumfashi road, Katsina, with 27 parcels of the same psychoactive substance, weighing 13.5kg, on Saturday, 28th December.”
Similarly, Babafemi said a raid in Benin City, Edo State, on 23rd December led to the arrest of a 21-year-old suspect, Kosisochukwu Ozigbo.
“Recovered from the suspect were: 32,490 pills of tramadol (225mg, 200mg, and 100mg); 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup; and various quantities of other opioids,” he added.