NDLEA Foils India-Bound Drug Trafficking Attempt, Arrests 33 Suspects Nationwide
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 26-year-old nursing student, Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma, for attempting to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine to India.
Esther, a second-year student at Noida International University, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested at the Royal Park Hotel, Sabon Gari, Kano, hours before her scheduled Qatar Airways flight from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Friday, 17th January 2025.
The NDLEA revealed that Esther’s arrest followed the interception of 31-year-old Cosmas Okorie along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi State.
Okorie, travelling in a commuter bus from Lagos to Kano, was found with 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.34 kilograms concealed in an audio speaker.
Upon interrogation, Okorie confessed that he was delivering the consignment to Esther, prompting operatives to apprehend her in Kano.
Esther confessed that a drug cartel recruited her in India and funded her trip to Nigeria under the guise of celebrating Christmas and New Year.
She avoided visiting her home state of Imo to keep her activities hidden from her parents and stayed in a hotel in Enugu before being flown to Kano via Abuja.
She was promised $5,000 for successfully delivering the drugs in India.
The NDLEA also reported a series of operations across the country that resulted in the arrest of 33 suspects and the seizure of various illicit substances.
Kogi State: Along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway, operatives arrested four suspects, recovering over 38,000 tramadol pills hidden in audio speakers and clothes.
Lagos State: Raids in Igando New Town, Ojodu-Berger, Lekki, and Lagos Island led to the recovery of over 1.7 tonnes of cannabis, tramadol, codeine, and other substances.
Among those arrested were a 59-year-old dealer, Nwokedi Emeka Jonas, and two others at a residence in Lekki, where 28 kilograms of Canadian Loud were seized.
Kano State: Two suspects, Usama Adamu and Isah Ibrahim, were arrested in Dawanau, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, with 7.6 kilograms of skunk, rubber solutions, and bottles of a psychoactive substance known as “suck and die.”
Another suspect, Usman Isa, was caught with 114 blocks of skunk weighing 49.8 kilograms along Zaria Road.
Kwara State: Three suspects were arrested in Moro Local Government Area with cannabis and Molly tablets.
Taraba State: A suspect was intercepted with 25,000 tramadol pills along the Wukari-Zaki Ibiam road.
Federal Capital Territory (FCT): Raids in Gwarimpa Village, Area 1 IDP Camp, and other locations resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals and the recovery of various substances, including codeine, tramadol, diazepam, and methamphetamine.
As part of its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, the NDLEA conducted sensitisation programmes in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.
Among the beneficiaries were students of Corpus Christi College in Ilawe Ekiti and Kudam Islamic School in Osogbo.
In Abia State, NDLEA officials paid an advocacy visit to Governor Alex Otti to bolster anti-drug campaigns.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the officers in Lagos, Kogi, Kano, Kwara, FCT, and Taraba for their dedication.
He urged them to sustain their balanced approach to reducing both drug supply and demand across the country.
