NDLEA arrests South African, Nigerian-American grandmother over cocaine, ‘loud’ at Lagos airport

From Godwin Tsa Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a South African woman with 36.65kg of cocaine and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of “loud”, a potent cannabis variant, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

In separate raids across Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states, operatives also recovered several tonnes of illicit drugs and destroyed cannabis farms.

Qhina Beauty, 34, was arrested on October 7 at the departure hall of the Lagos airport while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.

A search of her two bags yielded 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, laced with dried pepper, wrapped in cello tape and packed in seven parcels.

She told investigators she arrived in Nigeria on September 30, to pick up the consignment.

She said another South African woman recruited her with a promise of R20,000 on successful delivery, and introduced her to two syndicate members: one in the United States and a Lagos-based car dealer.

Following her arrest, operatives tracked down the car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, 46, after days of surveillance at his Shasha residence. He was intercepted on 14th October at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos.

He reportedly admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, lodging her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin and later moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport before her departure.

On Wednesday, October 21, NDLEA operatives arrested Anetor Ubong, 62, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds Nigerian and US passports. She was arrested on arrival from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight.

Her two checked-in boxes contained 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg, concealed with gift wrapping paper. She claimed the box was delivered to her home in the US by her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law, for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé, Jibola, in Nigeria.

The agency further carried out other arrests and seizures in the following states:

Lagos: On 23rd October, a special operations unit arrested Eletu Rasheedat, 41, in Eti Osa, recovering 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.

Peter Ugochukwu, 51, was arrested in Warri with a large cache of pharmaceutical opioids, including 29,350 capsules and 6,620 tablets (200mg) of tramadol, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol, 3,500 tablets of diazepam, 300 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection, plus quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol.

He was transferred, along with a white Hummer bus, by the Nigeria Police Force, Delta State Command. Separately, Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, a physically challenged woman, was arrested at Enhere Junction, Warri, on 19th October with 6.0kg of skunk.

Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi, 41, was arrested on October 19 in Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State after initially escaping arrest when operatives seized 197.8kg of cannabis sativa from his house on September 16.

A raid in Gerawa , Kano State ,on October 22, led to the arrest of Murtala Lawan, 30, and the seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 97.2kg.

On October 23, officers at the Lankaviri checkpoint, Yorro LGA, arrested Raiyanu Misa, 39, with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg. The same day, police handed over a suspect arrested at Dakka village, Bali LGA, with 112 blocks weighing 81.49kg.

Emmanuel Ekene, 26, was arrested on October 19 on the Sabo-Kainji road, Borgu LGA, Niger State , with 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam.

Jamilu Mustapha, 45, alias Last Card, was arrested on 21st October 21, at Nasaru Town, Ningi LGA, Bauch State ,with 379kg of cannabis sativa packed in seven jumbo sacks.

Acting on intelligence, officers raided a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South,Ondo State , on October 20 and recovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis sativa weighing 583kg.

On October 18, operatives destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West LGA,Edo State ,with an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg. They burnt 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and took 97kg as exhibit. In a related operation at Ewe community, Mary Edokhai, 42, was arrested with 35kg of cannabis.

NDLEA commands also continued War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

Lectures were held at Oje Grammar School, Ibadan; Government Day Secondary School, Kwamba, Niger; Baptist Primary School, Olorunda, Ogun; Government Secondary School, Yalea, Kano; Community Secondary School, Igogoro, Enugu; Urban Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra; and Kelebe Community Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), commended officers of the MMIA, Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta commands for their vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven approach.

He urged them and their colleagues nationwide to sustain the tempo of the war against drug trafficking and abuse.

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