The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 10.40kg skunk concealed with scent leaf and pepper going to Nairobi, Kenya, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.

The consignment was intercepted by the NDLEA officers attached to the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport on Saturday, August 26, 2023.

A suspect, Ekechukwu Sixtus Ndubuisi, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday, September 3, 2023.

Babafemi added that another bid to export a consignment of 180 canisters of laughing gas to South Africa by a freight agent, Oyekola Gbenga Akeem, for N2 million was also thwarted by the NDLEA operatives who seized the cargo and arrested the suspect.

He stated that the officers of the anti-drug agency, on Friday, August 25, succeeded in arresting a drug kingpin, Ngene Emmanuel Onyedikachi, who recruited the fake couple, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum, arrested for ingesting 1.822kg and 1.50kg of cocaine respectively at the Lagos airport while on their way to India on August 1, 2023.

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The NDLEA spokesman added that Onyedikachi was arrested at his residence located at 28 Afolabi Brown Street, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos State, after an intensive surveillance that lasted 25 days.

Babafemi added: “During his interview, Onyedikachi confessed that the two suspects: Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum were introduced to him by another member of his syndicate, who he claimed he met at Zion Church in Cele area of Lagos. He explained that the drug was sourced from Guinea Conakry.

“The suspect revealed that when he got information about the arrest of the fake couple, he threw away his old mobile phone along with the SIM cards to avoid being traced.

“He said he became relaxed and refused to leave his house because the two couriers do not know his house since they have only met twice at different locations.

“He said he was living in India before he returned to Nigeria in 2022 after the Indian authorities discovered that he was using Ivory Coast International passport. A blue Acura Legend car was part of items recovered from his home during his arrest.”

In his reaction, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers of the agency for their efforts in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities and charged them to remain steadfast.

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The Star