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Trafficker nabbed at Abuja airport with N2.3b cocaine

By Bertram Nwannekanma
23 September 2021   |   3:02 am
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday arrested one Okey Eze, who claims to be a tiler by profession, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport

[FILES] Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. PHOTO: NAN

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday arrested one Okey Eze, who claims to be a tiler by profession, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with 350 wraps of cocaine worth over an N2.3billion in street value.

The 38-year-old Eze, who hails from Orji River, in Oji-River Local Government area of Enugu State was arrested during an inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian airline flight number 911 en route Bamako-Addis Ababa- Abuja.

The illicit drug weighing 7.70kilograms was concealed in eight packs tucked in different parts of his luggage.

In his confession, Eze, a resident of Bamako, Mali, said he travelled to Mali through the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos State in 2019.

Eze


He further claimed that he came into Nigeria with the drug because he needed to raise money to take care of his late elder brothers’ four children.

The suspect also claimed he asked his friend, who is resident in Brazil to assist him with some money, but he declined and instead told him to pick up a bag with the drugs from a friend of his in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a fee of N500, 000 on successful delivery to someone whose contact would be sent to him on arrival in Nigeria.

He also said the bag containing the drugs was given to him on Wednesday morning at Addis Ababa airport.

Meanwhile, Chairman/ Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the Commander, officers and men of the NAIA command for their vigilance.

He said the new NDLEA under his leadership would continue to deal decisive blows on the various cartels trying to turn Nigeria into a hub of illicit drugs.

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