Taiwo Popoola
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said its operatives arrested a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Dajou Abuba at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, for attempting to traffic a large consignment of cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey.
NDLEA stated that Abuba, who is from the Zaire province in Angola, was arrested on Tuesday, 25th February 2025 at the screening point of the Kano airport while trying to board Egypt Air flight MS 880 to Istanbul, Turkey via Cairo.
This is contained in a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.
Babafemi said the suspect was placed under observation during which he expelled 120 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.829 kilograms in seven excretions after his body scan result confirmed he ingested illicit drugs.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect also, in his statement, claimed he was into the business of township delivery services in Angola before delving into the illicit drug trade.
Babafemi also announced that NDLEA operatives thwarted a similar attempt by an auto spare parts dealer, Okeke Ebuka Igwe, to send two parcels of 1.10kg cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
According to the statement, NDLEA arrested the suspect on Monday, 24th February, following credible intelligence, adding that during an interview with the suspect, he claimed that he is a businessman selling auto parts in ASPANDA, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos.
Announcing other interceptions by NDLEA, Babafemi said: “The bid by another suspect, Ezechi Iyke Cyprian to move a large consignment of cocaine weighing 5.40 kilograms to Owerri, Imo state in his Toyota Sienna bus on Sunday 23rd February was frustrated by operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA who arrested him following weeks of intelligence and surveillance.
“At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday 28th February discovered a total of 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in two mattresses in the trunk of a Toyota Venza car imported from Canada. The discovery of the 63.75kg consignment was made during a joint examination of a targeted container marked TCNU 1945861 from Montreal, Canada, by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies.
“The consignee of the shipment, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph has been arrested and taken into custody.
“In Delta state, NDLEA operatives supported by the military on Thursday 27th February stormed a forest in Innam-Abbi/Orogun community, Ndokwa West local government area where they destroyed over 50,000kg cannabis on a 20-hectare farm land. Five suspects arrested during the raid include: Augustine Subaru, 45; Ukoba Malachukwu, 53; Odalonu Emmanuel, 40; Esuabom Macaulay, 35; and Itoje Safe, 54.
“In another operation in Delta, NDLEA operatives on Friday 28th February intercepted a Mercedes Benz truck marked AWK 791 ZJ along Abraka-Orogun road. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 101 bags of skunk with a total weight of 1,111kg.
“In Edo state, NDLEA officers supported by the military on Saturday 1st March raided the Okpuje community in Owan West LGA where they destroyed over 100 jumbo bags of skunk in warehouses and recovered a total of 1,409.5kg of the psychoactive substance for the prosecution of arrested suspects: Oikelomen Osere Monday, 38 and Glory Iroyo, 42.
“While a suspect, Michael Omoloki, 46, was arrested with 58.5 kilograms of skunk at the Ibadan end of the Lagos -Ibadan expressway, Oyo state, operatives in Kwara state on Monday 24th February nabbed a Beninoise Lawali Mohammed with 2,980 tablets of tramadol and dozens of diazepam pills at Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin.
“In Osun, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Ibadan/ Gbongan expressway on Thursday 27th February intercepted a consignment of 1.05kg skunk concealed in detergent soap and biscuit carton, while Sunday Ogbu, 45, was arrested in connection with the seizure. A suspect Ayuba Mustapha, 30, was arrested at Tsafe, Zamfara state, with 24,700 pills of tramadol on Sunday, 23rd February.
“In Borno state, Mustapha Shettima, 50, was arrested by NDLEA operatives with 31kg skunk, 1,000 pills of tramadol and N720,000 monetary exhibit along Bama road, Maiduguri on Wednesday 26th February, while Adamu Idris, 40, was nabbed along Zaria road, Kano, same day with 140 blocks of cannabis weighing 73.5kg.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of MMIA, MAKIA, SOU, Tincan, Delta, Edo, Oyo, Kano, Osun, Borno, Zamfara and Kwara Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures.
