The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 63-year-old man, Afolabi Abideen Kolawole, who ships illicit substances to his daughter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.

This was disclosed via a statement issued and made available to The Star on Sunday by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

He added that the 63-year-old man was arrested by the NDLEA operatives in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Thursday, August 18 after more than four sets of arrests eventually unraveled him.

Babafemi said the arrested suspect confessed that he was responsible for the concealment and packaging of the cannabis inside the black native soap used as a mode of concealment.

“He also admitted this was his second attempt at sending such illicit substance to his daughter, Barakat, in Dubai,” the NDLEA spokesman noted.

He added that an importer of Loud variant of cannabis from the United States, Abibu Afis Sola, was also arrested at the Lagos airport.

According to the NDLEA spokesperson, Sola was arrested in connection with a 19.30kg Colorado consignment from Los Angeles, USA, which was intercepted on June 30 at the NAHCO cargo import shed of the Lagos airport.

Babafemi stated that while Sola was still being interviewed in custody, a 37.1kg consignment of Loud intercepted on July 7 was also traced to the suspect.

He added that a freight agent, Njoko Elizabeth, 37, was also arrested by the anti-drug agency officers for attempting to export 250grams of tramadol and cannabis to Dubai through the NAHCO export shed.

The anti-drug agency spokesman stated that the drug exhibits were concealed inside some gallons of palm oil and honey, which were packed among food items and hair attachment.

He noted that 249,600 tablets of tramadol 225mg were recovered by the anti-drug agency officers from a shipment from India at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport.

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The NDLEA spokesperson added that the consignment which arrived from India via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airline flight on August 4 was eventually evacuated on Wednesday, August 17 as an abandoned seizure.

Babafemi further disclosed that an Italy-bound passenger, Oziengbe Ehighalua Andrew, aged 55, was arrested with 600grams of tramadol 200mg while attempting to board Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy, via Casablanca on Friday, August 19.

“Seven cartons of khat leaf with a total weight of 295kg have been seized at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport. The consignment came into Nigeria from Tanzania through Cairo on Egypt Air.

“Operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI, in NDLEA attached to courier firms have intercepted 11.36kg heroin and cannabis packaged for UAE, Netherlands, and Omar. The drugs were concealed in dictionary, fancy light, and body cream.

“In Niger State, 139 bags and 176 compressed blocks of cannabis loaded in Ogere, Ogun state and heading to Zaria, Kaduna State were seized by NDLEA operatives along Abuja-Kaduna road, Suleja from a company vehicle while the driver, Sani Mohammed, 44, and his assistant, Abubakar Abubakar, 30, were arrested.

“Raids carried out in Akala, Mushin area of Lagos also led to the arrest of Pelumi Goodness and Ola Funke while over 1,171.75kg cannabis and 29 litres of codeine syrup were recovered,” he noted.

Speaking on the arrests and seizures, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the anti-narcotic agency officers and urged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

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