…arrests ex-convict, businesswoman over Italy, South Africa-bound drug shipments at Lagos airport; recovers 1million pills of opioids in Borno, Anambra raids

Attempt by an import and export businessman, Olisaka Chibuzo Calistus to smuggle 256 wraps of cocaine weighing 6 kilograms into the country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, has been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

The seizure, which is the single largest interception of cocaine at the Kano airport since the creation of MAKIA Command of NDLEA in 2006 was made on Sunday 15th December 2024 during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Olisaka who claims to be into import and export business was subjected to body screening during which he was found to have packed hundreds of cocaine pellets in his body.

A similar attempt by an ex-convict, Olanrewaju Bada Akorede to export a consignment of rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos, was equally frustrated by NDLEA officers at the airport. The consignment was hidden in a cargo containing gari, shoes, men’s singlets and other items.

Olarenwaju was convicted for a similar crime earlier this year following his arrest on 12th December 2023 for attempting to ship 4.90kg tramadol and 2.10kg rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Lagos airport. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos with an option to pay a fine of N900, 000, which he paid and was freed before returning to repeat the same crime.

An Italy-based businesswoman Cynthia Akaeen was on Wednesday 18th December arrested by NDLEA officers while trying to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy via Addis Ababa. The suspect was intercepted at the departure point of terminal 2 of the Lagos airport during an outward clearance of passengers going to Italy. A total of 9,190 tablets of various brands of tramadol weighing 6.00kg were recovered from her. According to her, she was promised 1,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Italy.

No fewer than 418,330 pills of tramadol 225mg, 100mg and tapentadol 250mg as well as 8,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a warehouse at a building material market in Onitsha, Anambra state on Tuesday 17th December when NDLEA operatives raided the market following credible intelligence.

At the Tincan Island port in Lagos, a total of 180,000 bottles codeine syrup were recovered on Wednesday 18th December from a container, which originated from Mundra, India. The seizure was made during a joint examination of the container by men of NDLEA, Customs, DSS, police, and other security agencies at the port, while a suspect Makata Emmanuel, who is the consignee and notify party, was promptly taken into custody.
A total of 293,000 capsules of tramadol, a pistol and 26 rounds of 7.65mm live ammunition were recovered from the duo of Ishaya Wabba, 54, and Samaila Audu, 44, when they were arrested in a Toyota Sienna bus at Pompomari Bypass, Maiduguri, Borno state, while another suspect Sanusi Abdul Hamid, 37, was nabbed at Gwange area of the state capital with 260, 000 capsules of the same psychoactive substance on Monday 16th December.

A 35-year-old suspect Modu Kolera was equally arrested on Wednesday 18th December
at Custom area of Maiduguri with 8.5kg cannabis; 5,000 pills of tramadol; 7,500 tabs of
diazepam; 14,500 tablets of exol and 50 litres of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance, in his Volkswagen Golf car marked DKW 812 AA.
While a suspect Gafar Saminu, 30, was arrested on Wednesday 18th December with 33.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa, at Ayete, Oyo state, NDLEA operatives in Enugu same day raided the Aria new market where they recovered 94kg of same substance.
In Lagos, a consignment of 32 kilograms ephedrine, a precursor chemical going to the South East was on Monday 16th December recovered at the Young Shall Grow Luxurious Vehicles Park, Maza-maza.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Wajah Girls Government Day Secondary School, Hong, Adamawa; students and staff of Government Girls Tahfizul Quran Salihawa, Gwarzo, Kano; students and staff of Riyadul Quran Islamiyya School, Bagudo, Kebbi state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MAKIA, MMIA, Anambra, Borno, Lagos, Oyo, Enugu, and Tincan Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) urged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their oars as they intensify their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Saturday auctioned about 20,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, at N630 per liter in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The product, intercepted from smugglers, was sold to the public at Afoo Filling Station, Masfala area.

The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, who flagged off the sale, revealed that the tanker carrying the petrol was seized alongside 30 kegs containing 25 liters each during a smuggling attempt.

The total duty-paid value of the seized 30,750 liters was estimated at N42.75million.

According to Comptroller Ejibunu, the auction followed a court condemnation order after the items remained unclaimed. He stated that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashiru Adeniyi, directed the sale to improve public access to fuel during the festive season.

Comptroller Ejibunu explained the government’s commitment to ensuring that citizens receive their entitlements promptly, highlighting that auctioning seized goods to Nigerians aligns with government policy.

He cautioned smugglers to abandon their illegal activities, warning that offenders would face prosecution.

Reflecting on a similar operation two months earlier, he noted that seized petrol was sold to the public in Yola, Adamawa State, at the regulated price. Specifically, 25-liter kegs of petrol were auctioned at ₦10,000 each.

He added that legal proceedings against a suspect apprehended during that operation were already underway.
Ejibunu urged Nigerians to support the Nigeria Customs Service by providing information on economic saboteurs, pledging the agency’s dedication to curbing smuggling under the directive of the Comptroller General.

He further explained that a collaboration between the Oyo/Osun Area Command and the Commander of Operation Whirlwind to enhance security, strengthen the economy, and deter smuggling.

Eighty-five Chinese nationals who were remanded at Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja over alleged cybercrime have been released on bail, Sunday PUNCH has gathered.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Capital Territory Command, Adamu Duza, who disclosed this to our correspondent said the Chinese were released on Friday, December 20, 2024.

The suspects were part of a group of 113 foreign nationals arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on November 24, 2024 on charges of cybercrime, money laundering, and unlawful residency in Nigeria.

The group includes individuals from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators.

Justice Ekerete Akpan, who presided over the case, had initially ordered the remand of the male defendants at Kuje prison and female defendants at Suleja prison.

The charges stem from the allegations that the accused persons used sophisticated computer systems to facilitate hacking activities and operate fraudulent gambling platforms such as 9f.com, c2.top, and 8pg.top.

They were also accused of overstaying their business permits and remaining in Nigeria without valid residency or visas.

The suspects were arrested on November 3, 2024, in Katampe District, Abuja.

Duza confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that the release of the 85 Chinese nationals was supervised by the FCT Controller of Corrections, Ajibogun Olatubosun, to ensure all protocols were followed and their personal properties were returned.

He said, “85 Chinese in our detention facilities have been released on bail. The Controller was on ground to ensure their release and their properties intact.”