An attempt by businessman Olisaka Chibuzo Calistus to smuggle 256 wraps of cocaine, weighing 6 kilograms, into Nigeria through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) was foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The arrest occurred on Sunday, December 15, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941, which arrived from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Olisaka, who claims to be involved in the import and export business, was subjected to body screening, during which the cocaine pellets were discovered concealed within his body. This seizure marks the largest single interception of cocaine at MAKIA since the establishment of the NDLEA command at the airport in 2006.
In a similar incident, NDLEA officers thwarted an attempt by ex-convict Olanrewaju Bada Akorede to export a consignment of rohypnol to South Africa through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The illegal drugs were hidden within a cargo of gari, shoes, singlets, and other items. Akorede had been previously convicted earlier this year for attempting to export illegal substances but was released after paying a fine, only to repeat the offense.
On December 18, 2024, NDLEA officers arrested Italy-based businesswoman Cynthia Akaeen at the Lagos airport while she attempted to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy. She was caught with 9,190 tablets of various tramadol brands, weighing 6.00kg. She admitted that she was promised 1,000 Euros for successfully delivering the drugs to Italy.
NDLEA officers also conducted a major raid at a warehouse in Onitsha, Anambra State, on December 17, recovering over 418,000 pills of tramadol and tapentadol, along with 8,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup. On December 18, another joint operation at Tincan Island port in Lagos resulted in the seizure of 180,000 bottles of codeine syrup hidden in a container originating from Mundra, India.
Additional arrests were made in Maiduguri, Borno State, where operatives recovered large quantities of tramadol, cannabis, and other illegal drugs from suspects traveling in vehicles. Similar drug busts occurred in Oyo, Enugu, and Lagos states.
The NDLEA's War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) continues nationwide, with awareness campaigns aimed at educating students, staff, and community members about the dangers of drug abuse.
Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the agency’s operatives across the country for their vigilance in these operations and encouraged them to maintain their efforts in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking.
Tags
News