NDLEA Nabs Wanted Kingpin Over London-bound Drug Shipment

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected drug kingpin, wanted for attempts to ship illicit drug consignments to the United Kingdom (UK).

The NDLEA had through interdiction operations seized four tons of illicit substances in the past week heading to the United Kingdom.

Its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said the suspect, Obiorah Chigozie Samuel has been on the wanted list of the agency since 15th September, 2023 when a consignment of 1.500kg skunk concealed in flour going to London, UK was intercepted at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, and his freight agent, Nworah Adaugo Precious arrested.

The agency said he was arrested when he walked into the agency’s dragnet on Thursday 28th September when he personally brought another tranche of 2.00kg concealed in cartons to the airport for shipment to the UK after being convinced that the 1.500kg consignment had sailed through.

“In his interview, Obiorah claimed he was into shoe sales in Lagos before venturing into the illicit drug business,” the NDLEA stated.

Also, a Chadian, Mohammed Ibrahim, 25 was arrested at Mafa check point in Borno State with 11.8kg of skunk on Monday September 25.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Command of the agency, on Friday 29th September intercepted a container truck with registration number BD G41 XM coming from Lagos to Kano at the Gwagwalada area of the FCT.

No less than 1,188 kilogrammes of skunk loaded at Owo, Ondo State and hidden under cartons of toothpaste were recovered from the truck and its driver, Amafan Fattison, 28, who was arrested.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers in Bayelsa State, on Wednesday 27th September seized 432kgs of the same substance from an abandoned J5 bus on Saipem Road, Opolo, Yenagoa.

The vehicle was equally recovered from the scene for further investigation.

In Kano, a septuagenarian grandpa, Ado Mai Unguwa, 70, was arrested on Saturday, 30th September with 143.2kgs skunk in Dindere village, Tofa LGA, while operatives in Enugu same day recovered 110.6kgs of same substance from a locked-up shop at Aria new market.

Operatives in Lagos also on Saturday, 30th September, 2023, stormed the notorious Idi-Oro drug enclave in Mushin where they seized 212.5kgs of cannabis sativa belonging to a wanted drug lord.