NDLEA Intercepts Ex-Convict Smuggling N4.6 Billion Worth of Cocaine at Lagos Airport
…as Marwa Vows to Disrupt Drug Cartels’ Activities Across Nigeria
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 48-year-old businessman and ex-convict, Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, with a staggering 19.4 kilograms of cocaine valued at N4.6 billion.
In a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA and issued on Tuesday – 24th September 2024, the Agency disclosed that this interception comes just 16 months after Ogbuji’s previous arrest and conviction for smuggling cocaine.
Ogbuji, who had previously served time for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.986 kg, was arrested upon arrival from Addis Ababa on 18th September 2024, during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers.
He attempted to conceal 817 wraps of excreted cocaine, which were found hidden in a backpack inside his travelling bag.
The suspect, who had a history of involvement with international drug cartels, was convicted in July 2023 after being arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. On that occasion, he had arrived from Uganda and was found guilty of smuggling 1.986 kg of cocaine.
Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment, though he was released after paying a N3 million fine, as well as forfeiting his passport and other possessions seized during his arrest.
In the latest incident, Ogbuji initially cleared his luggage at the NDLEA screening checkpoint but later returned to the carousel area, placing a backpack filled with cocaine into the previously cleared bag.
His suspicious behaviour led vigilant NDLEA officers to conduct a secondary search, during which the illicit drugs were discovered.
Investigations have revealed that Ogbuji is a significant figure in a network of drug traffickers operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and West African countries, including Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Reacting to the arrest, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the operatives at the MMIA for their outstanding work.
He stressed that the seizure represents a major milestone in the agency’s fight against drug trafficking and sends a clear message to international drug syndicates attempting to infiltrate Nigeria.
“We will continue to work relentlessly to disrupt the activities of these drug cartels, ensuring that they find no haven in Nigeria,” Marwa stated.
The NDLEA has reaffirmed its commitment to keeping the nation safe from drug-related crimes, promising to tighten its grip on drug smuggling operations through enhanced surveillance and coordination with international partners.
