NDLEA arrests airport cleaner running drug syndicate at MMIA, nabs 8 suspects in Lagos raid

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives have arrested a cleaner at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja in Lagos, who reportedly leads a drug syndicate at the international terminal.

The suspect, identified as Ohiagu Sunday, was nabbed by the NDLEA on Tuesday August 23, following the arrest of an intending passenger on Air Peace flight to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Obinna Jacob Osita.

“Osita was arrested with three bags, two of which contained eight blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 4.25kg concealed in cassava product, garri and crayfish.

“One other member of the airport syndicate, who works with Ohiagu, has also been arrested while operatives are after another suspect,” said the NDLEA.

The arrests were disclosed in a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director Media Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, who also disclosed that investigations revealed that a Dubai-based drug dealer recruited Obinna, a 42-year-old native of Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State to traffic the illicit drugs and equally contracted Ohiagu, a 34-year-old airport cleaner from Orlu West Local Government Area of Imo State to create access for the unhindered passage of the trafficker.

“The drug syndicate bust, which is the first drug arrest at the new terminal of the MMIA comes on the heels of the seizure of a consignment of bottles of ‘Viju’ and ‘Fearless’ energy drinks used to conceal skunk for export to Dubai, UAE through the NAHCO export shed on Monday 15th Aug. A freight agent has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.

“In the same vein, attempt by a syndicate to export illicit drugs through the Lagos airport on Wednesday 24th August was foiled during an outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline to Oman via Addis Ababa.

“A suspect Jonah Chukwuemeka was arrested with a total of 1,995 Tramadol tablets with a gross weight of 900 grams hidden in locust beans in his luggage. The bag containing the illicit substance was handed over to him at the airport by one Olagunju Abbas who was promptly arrested.

“Packs of Tramadol 225mg containing 119,500 capsules were Thursday 25th Aug transferred to NDLEA by the Nigeria Customs, cargo wing of MMIA. The consignment had come in through Ethiopian Airline from Pakistan,” the NDLEA report read.

In other operations carried out by the anti-narcotics agency, ‘operatives on Saturday raided a car shop, Bolak Motors at Ewela bus stop, Oshodi where bags of 615.2kg cannabis were recovered along with nine vehicles. Efforts are ongoing to track the car dealer, Alhaji Ismail who is currently at large.’

“No fewer than eight suspects were arrested and bags of illicit drugs seized from them when the Akerele area of Agege, Shogunle and Mafoluku areas of Oshodi, Fagba area of Ogba, Ipodo area of Ikeja and Iyana Ipaja park were raided in the state.

“In Yobe state, two suspected fake security agents taking 14kg cannabis to Maiduguri, Borno state were intercepted along Potiskum- Damaturu road. While Adetula Olarenwaju was arrested with four blocks of the substance on Thursday 25th Aug on his way from Lagos, Sadiq Garba returning from Gombe was nabbed with 22 blocks of the substance on Saturday 27th Aug.

“In Edo, Abu Segun Sunday was arrested with 48.4kg cannabis at Idk quarter, Ibilo, while Rosemary Afekhuai was caught with 1,130 tramadol caps, among others at Oluma quarters, Otuo, Owan East LGA.

“In Delta, Mustapha Isah, was arrested at Oko Market with 9, 800 Tramadol caps weighing 6.4kg while NDLEA operatives in Kaduna also nabbed Chinedu Onnuka, at Narayi Kaduna with 33,000 tablets of Bromazepam.

“No fewer than 80 blocks of cannabis sativa were recovered from an abandoned tricycle with reg. no: BAU 70 WL while 25,000 tablets of exol-5 were seized from a dealer, Usman Muhammed who was nabbed along Bauchi-Gombe road.

“A raid operation at a market in Mubi, Adamawa state on Wednesday 24th Aug led to the seizure of 62,360 tablets of Tramadol, Diazepam and exol-5 while two suspects, Sirajo Idris and Anas Abubakar were arrested same day with 107 pallets of cannabis at Kamba, a border town in Kebbi State. The skunk weighing 90kg was smuggled in from Benin Republic.

“In Kano, a drug dealer Lawal Adamu, 31, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road, Kwanar Dangora, with 203 blocks of cannabis weighing 136kg, while another suspect, Taheer Abdullahi was nabbed on Friday 26th Aug. at Gadar Tamburawa, with 3000 ampules of tramadol injection.

“A raid operation at Kara Masaka, back of Mararaba market and Zamani estate on Saturday 27th Aug. led to the arrest of 26 suspects, while 25.7kg cannabis, 4.5kg codeine and 300 tablets of Rohypnol tablets were seized from the drug joints raided. In Sokoto state, the village head of Ruga, Shagari LGA, Alhaji Umaru Mohammed (aka Danbala), a notorious drug dealer who was arrested on Monday 22nd Aug. will be facing charges any moment from now. Before his recent arrest during which 436.381kg cannabis and 1kg diazepam were recovered from his house, an earlier raid on his home on July 20th 2022 had also led to the seizure of 11.5kg cannabis, 2.259kg exol5 and 500grams of Diazepam.”