NDLEA Arrests Engineer Over Illicit Drug Consignments Hidden in Pressure Machines
…Apprehends Grandmother in Lagos
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 42-year-old building engineer, Egwu Phillip Inya, for allegedly attempting to collect illicit drug consignments concealed in pressure machines imported from South Africa.
In a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy at the NDLEA, the Agency said the arrest took place on Monday, 2nd December 2024, at the Okeyson motor park in Enugu.
Egwu was apprehended when he arrived to retrieve three pressure machines containing parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 7.4 kilograms.
The illicit shipment had initially landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on 29th November 2024.
Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA officers at the MMIA Strategic Command tracked the consignment through the clearing process to a logistics company’s warehouse.
However, a last-minute change of the collection point to Enugu led to Egwu’s capture during a follow-up operation.
Major Drug Seizures Across Nigeria
Adamawa:
In the early hours of Friday, 6th December, NDLEA operatives intercepted 511,000 pills of tramadol from a Siena vehicle on Hildi-Askira Uba road.
The vehicle’s occupants abandoned it after spotting the NDLEA patrol team and realising they were being pursued.
Ekiti:
Two suspects, Olanrewaju Alale (48) and Babatunde Kayode Ijadahun (55), were arrested on the Ise-Emure road while transporting 108 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,323 kilograms in a J5 bus.
The suspects claimed the consignment was destined for Owo in Ondo State, from where it would be distributed to northern Nigeria.
Oyo:
In another operation, NDLEA agents arrested Adekunle Yusuf (33) with 704 kilograms of cannabis concealed in white sacks on Idere road, Igboora.
Lagos:
On Friday, 6th December, a 65-year-old grandmother, Ramata Bola Adeyemo, was arrested at 62 Odunfa Street, Lagos Island. Operatives recovered 20.6 litres of codeine-based syrup from her residence.
The same week, Alhaji Lawan Manga was arrested at Ogundana Street, Ikeja, with 4.7 kilograms of cannabis and 1.3 kilograms of tramadol in his possession.
WADA Sensitisation Efforts
As part of its balanced approach to combating drug abuse, NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation lectures nationwide. These initiatives targeted schools, religious centres, workplaces, and communities.
Some notable engagements included sessions at Progressive Secondary School, Oyo; Muslim Grammar School, Osun; Government Girls College, Borno; and Community Secondary School, Rivers.
The Lagos State Command also organised an enlightenment lecture for members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at Orile Agege.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the dedication and effectiveness of the agency’s operatives in MMIA, Adamawa, Ekiti, Lagos, and Oyo commands.
He lauded their efforts in balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction, noting their unwavering commitment to safeguarding communities from the scourge of drug abuse.
