Metro

Choked by ingested drugs, India-bound passenger vomits, excretes 80 wraps of cocaine(PHOTOS)

Published

8 months ago

April 7, 2024

. Charms fail 2 drug mules at Lagos airport as NDLEA intercepts their consignment concealed in false bottoms of bags, arrests both; seizes 2,144 parcels of imported Colorado at Tincan Port

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Delhi, India-bound passenger, Freeman Charles Ogbonna at the screening point of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine.

Ogbonna was arrested on Sunday 31st March while attempting to board his flight to Delhi, India via Doha on Qatar Airways, with a Liberian international passport, bearing the name: Carr Bismark. He was taken for body scan, which tested positive for ingestion of illicit drugs.
Preliminary checks revealed his real identity as Freeman Charles Ogbonna and was subsequently placed under observation in NDLEA custody where he started to manifest signs of discomfort. Obviously choked by the volume of illicit drugs in his stomach and another substance taken to hold back excretion, the suspect soon began to retch before starting to vomit and excrete wraps of cocaine he ingested almost simultaneously.

The suspect who claimed he was recruited into drug trafficking by one of his relatives eventually passed out a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus over a period of four days. The great risk that almost took his life notwithstanding, Ogbonna said he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in Ipodo area of Ikeja with a promise to reward him with N300,000 cash if he successfully delivers the consignment in India.
In the same vein, NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport on Wednesday 3rd April intercepted a drug mule, Imran Taofeek Olalekan at Gate C departure of terminal 1 travelling to Oman with a check-in luggage and a backpack. When his check-in bag and backpack were subjected to thorough search, the operatives discovered a false bottom concealment of drugs in the check-in luggage and in the walls of the backpack.

The NDLEA officers swiftly moved in on a man who accompanied the suspect to the airport. He was later identified as Ishola Isiaka Olalekan who recruited the trafficker.
Imran Taofeek Olalekan said he returned from Dubai some years ago but still has a valid residence permit on his old passport. He claimed he was promised N1,500,000 if he successfully delivers the consignment in Oman, while his recruiter, Ishola was to be paid N200,000.

Curiously, when the two bags were completely unpacked at the NDLEA office, a charm was found in one of the bags while another one was found on the drug mule who confessed that he traveled to Ibadan, Oyo state to meet with an ‘Alfa’ that prepared the charm for him to ensure he was not caught during the trip.

Another charm was also found on the intermediary, Ishola Isiaka Olalekan who accompanied Taofeek to the departure area of the airport. Ishola claimed he procured the charms for the sum of N70,000.

At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also on Wednesday 3rd April, intercepted 2,144 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing of 1,072kg. The seizure was made during a joint examination with Customs Service and other stakeholders of a container marked GAOU 6699215 coming from Montreal, but originated from Toronto, Canada.

The drugs packed in 46 jumbo bags were found concealed in used 2009 Lexus RX 350, 2011 Toyota Sienna, and 2009 Lexus ES 350 as well as used engines, automobile doors, tyres, and used household goods as well as big drums loaded into the container.

In Kano, a 48-year-old suspect, Gidado Sani who jumped the bail granted him by a Federal High Court in Kano on drug offence charges, was on Friday 5th April re-arrested in Sharada area of the state with 85 blocks of cannabis weighing 50.1kg, while NDLEA operatives in Ogun state on Thursday 4th April, arrested another suspect Wasiu Jimoh, during a raid operation at Ilese Awo, with 84 parcels (62kg) of cannabis sativa.

Operatives in Lagos on Wednesday 3rd April intercepted a suspect, Emeka Umeh with 506.2kg cannabis at Igbede, Ojo area of the state, while another suspect, Victor Okeke was nabbed on Friday 5th April at Igbo Elerin, Ojo, with 142grams of cannabis sativa and 175 litres of skuchies recovered from him. Attempt by 35-year-old Ifeanyi Udogwu to smuggle 1.5kg cocaine concealed in music speakers from Lagos through Aba, Abia state to his uncle, Ifeanyi Udogwu based in Cameroon was thwarted on Wednesday 3rd April when NDLEA officers working in collaboration with transport company, Young Shall Grow Motors, arrested him.
The Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, motor parks, worship centres and communities. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture for commercial drivers at the Osun State Transport Management System Complex, Osogbo; youths of Assembly of God Church, Ibereko, Badagry, Lagos; and drivers at Sunny Motor Park, Aroma, Awka, Anambra state, among others.

While commending the efforts of the MMIA, Tincan, Ogun, Kano and Lagos Commands of the Agency, for jobs well done in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain vigilant and intensify their offensive action against drug cartels and their WADA advocacy campaign in every community nationwide.

Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters Abuja
Sunday 7th April 2024

‎Follow the NDLEA NIGERIA channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAngk13rZZj3lhzSg2M

Metro

Abducted victim rescued, vehicle, guns recovered by police

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Naijablitznews

Operatives of Rivers State Police Command have rescued a kidnap victim from his armed abductors.

According to report, the victim was rescued minutes after he was kidnapped in Oyigbo area of the state, following the swift intervention of the police.

Report further revealed that police operatives, on getting a distress call, had chased the abductors, resulting in a gun duel, and that the criminals had abandoned the target and fled, following the superior firepower of the police.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the incident happened on Sunday.

Iringe-Koko in the statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said police rescued the victim who was abandoned in the vehicle, recovered the operational car used by the kidnappers and one gun.

She said: “On November 17, 2024, about 2023hrs, operatives of the Command received a distress call from the Command’s Control Room indicating that a gang of armed men numbering about four operating in a Black colour Toyota Corolla car shot sporadically and kidnapped one Madabuchi Julius ‘m’ at Sabbath Filling Station, Oyigbo.

“Operatives were swiftly mobilised to the scene and the hoodlums on sighting the Police operatives drove off, but they were given a hot chase by the operatives and subsequently intercepted along Egbu Street, Oyigbo and and a gun duel…….ensued between the Police operatives and the hoodlums.

“The hoodlums could not withstand the Police superior fire power and eventually abandoned the victim and their operational vehicle with registration number RIVERS PHC 938 AH and escaped. The victim was rescued unhurt and the vehicle recovered.

“Investigation is ongoing while concerted efforts are intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons.”

Iringe-Koko noted the police in another development arrested some suspected criminals and recovered some items.

Metro

Bandits abduct four farmers in fresh Southern Kaduna attack

Published

20 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Bandits have reportedly abducted about four farmers in the Libere community of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Aminu Khalid, the Dokan Karji youth leader, disclosed this to DAILY POST on Thursday in a telephone interview.

He said the farmers were kidnapped at about 12 o’clock while harvesting their crops.

Khalid lamented that the incident has caused panic in Libere and surrounding communities, with residents deserting their villages.

“These bandits have continued to occupy more villages in our local government area unchallenged and causing a lot havoc to the various communities,” he said.

The youth leader had earlier reported that Libere was among the 14 villages over-run by bandits during a recent attack. He had also called for military intervention to restore normalcy in the area.

He identified some of those abducted as Pheobe Adauji, Cecilia Moses, Tambaya and his wife.

Metro

Police Arrest Man, Girlfriend For Kidnap, Murder Of 70-year-old Woman

Published

21 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested two suspects, Ikechukwu Okoye (male, aged 33) and Juliet Ogbodo (female, aged 39), both of Onuorie-Obuno in Akpugo Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area over the alleged kidnap and murder of a 70-year-old woman.

The suspects were alleged to have kidnapped, murdered and buried Mrs. Mary Nwatu, a 70-year-old woman, in a shallow grave in September 2024.

In a statement made available on Thursday by DSP Daniel Ndukwe, Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, he said the suspects were arrested by the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad.

According to Ndukwe, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was reported missing on September 15, 2024, after all efforts to locate her proved unsuccessful.

“On October 5, 2024, Ikechukwu Okoye, identified as the principal suspect and a kinsman of the victim, began contacting her children, demanding a ransom of six million Naira (N6,000,000.00).

“Upon his arrest, which followed credible intelligence reports, Okoye confessed to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on September 14, 2024, around 8:00 a.m.

“He stated that the victim came to their house to look for his mother when he kidnapped, murdered, and buried her in a shallow grave inside an uncompleted building in the compound.”

He added that “Ikechukwu Okoye also confessed to demanding a ransom from the victim’s children, initially asking for six million Naira (N6,000,000.00), which was later negotiated to three million Naira (N3,000,000.00).

“He eventually received payment of twenty thousand Naira (N20,000.00), which was for him to allow the children to hear their mother’s voice via the phone before further payments.

“On her part, Juliet Ogbodo, who is Okoye’s intimate girlfriend, confessed to being aware of the crime but failed to report it to the police or any other relevant authorities.

“The victim’s remains have been exhumed and deposited at a mortuary for preservation and autopsy. The suspects, along with any other individuals found complicit in this heinous crime, will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.”