TheCable

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a drug syndicate operating at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos state.

The agency said the syndicate smuggled in 1,584,000 tablets of tramadol that were recently seized by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with aviation security and customs service personnel at the airport.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA spokesman, said the arrests were made in a string of offensives against drug cartels across Nigeria.

“The seizure includes 17 cartons of 250mg Tramadol branded as “Tamra” weighing 669.70kg and five cartons of 225mg Tramadol under the brand name “Royal” with a gross weight of 217.15kg,” the statement reads.

“The psychotropic substance, which was imported into the country from Pakistan was smuggled through the airport tarmac using one of the vehicles of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) and was intercepted at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Personnel Yard. Two suspects: Ofijeh John Mowa, a SAHCO driver and Nyam Gazu Alex who is a security guard with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) were initially arrested in connection with the seizure.

“Further investigations by NDLEA operatives however led to the arrest of five other persons involved in the crime including the ringleader, Yunana Fidelis who fled Lagos to Kaduna the moment their lid was blown open. Others include: Adesanwo Temitope; Owoseni Taiwo Temidayo; Fasoranti Shola and Bamigbade Jonathan.

“Yunana Fidelis who is also a staff of NACHO had escaped and fled to Kaduna after depositing Nineteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N19, 800,000.00) cash with a BDC operator to be paid later into his bank account.

“After tracking him for days in Kaduna, on Friday 25th Fidelis relocated to Abuja where he was eventually arrested by NDLEA operatives at 7pm on Sunday 27th March while he was trying to collect One Million Naira (N1, 000, 000.00) cash from an undercover agent who posed as a BDC operator. In addition to recovering the cash Fidelis deposited with the BDC operator in Lagos, the Agency had also placed a post no debit order on his identified bank accounts.”

The agency added that Reuben Bekweri, a methamphetamine cook, was also arrested on Sunday, in Owerri, Imo state capital, while trying to distribute the illicit drug.

NDLEA operatives were also said to have arrested Mayowa Oluwanisomo, a lawyer, in Ado Ekiti following intelligence that he deals in psychotropic substances.

“A total of 11, 570 tablets of Tramadol weighing 7.3kilograms were recovered from him when his residence was searched. He admitted ownership of the drug exhibits, adding that he graduated from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and Abuja campus of the Nigerian Law School in 2016,” the agency said.