The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it arrested three wanted drug kingpins and intercepted an Oman-bound consignment.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday said the three drug lords were arrested over two months after they were declared wanted.
Babafemi said they are members of an organized criminal organization which specializes in illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America.
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He added that they were arrested following the recent seizure of the single largest consignment of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
According to Babafemi, a total of 51.90 kilograms of heroin had been recovered from members of the drug cartel in an operation that began on February 10, 2024 at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal.
“The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines, with no less than 45 blocks of the illicit substance weighing 49.70kg recovered from the equipment,” he said.
“Meanwhile, an additional 2.2kg worth of illicit substance was seized at the syndicate’s warehouse in the Ayobo area of Lagos.”
Babafemi disclosed that while the NDLEA secured an interim forfeiture court order on hotel, mansions, vehicles and funds traced to members of the syndicate after arresting four of them, a manhunt was also launched for others who went underground.
The agency’s effort, however, paid off last Friday when two of the wanted kingpins, Onyinyechi Irene Igbokwuputa and Frankline Uzochukwu were arrested in Lagos and Awka, Anambra state respectively.
Babafemi stated that another wanted member of the syndicate, Osita Emmanuel Obinna was equally nabbed in Lagos.
In the same vein, the attempt by a suspect, Iheakara Ifeanyichukwu Festus to export a drug consignment through the terminal 2 of the Lagos airport to Muscat, Oman via Ethiopian airline flight last Thursday was thwarted by NDLEA officers.
“When his luggage was searched, 20 big parcels of cannabis weighing 9.80kg were discovered concealed in his bag,” Babafemi said.
“In his statement, the suspect who lives in Muscat, Oman and returned to Nigeria on April 1 confessed that he was hired to courier the drug with an agreement to get paid N1,200,000 upon successful delivery in Oman.”
