The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker, Egwu Phillip Inya, who claims to be a building engineer. He was apprehended while attempting to collect illicit consignments hidden within pressure machines imported from South Africa.
In a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, it was revealed that the 42-year-old suspect was arrested on Monday, December 2, 2024, at Okeyson Motor Park in Enugu. Egwu was caught as he arrived to collect three pressure machines, which contained parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 7.40 kilograms.
The consignments had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s (MMIA) import shed in Lagos on November 29, 2024.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives at the MMIA Strategic Command had received credible intelligence and tracked the shipment through the clearing process. The items were initially sent to a logistics company’s warehouse near the airport for collection. However, the importer altered the collection point to Enugu at the last moment. NDLEA officers carried out a follow-up operation in Enugu, leading to Egwu’s arrest when he attempted to claim the consignment.
In a separate incident in Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives on patrol intercepted a Siena vehicle on the Hildi-Askira Uba road in the early hours of Friday, December 6, 2024. The vehicle, which carried 511,000 tramadol pills, was abandoned by its occupants after they noticed they were being pursued by NDLEA officers.
Other Seizures and Arrests
In Ekiti State, two suspects, Olanrewaju Alale (48) and Babatunde Kayode Ijadahun (55), were arrested on the Ise-Emure road while transporting 108 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,323 kilograms in a J5 bus marked EPE 958 XJ. The suspects stated the consignment was en route to the North for distribution.
Similarly, in Oyo State, 33-year-old Adekunle Yusuf was apprehended with 704 kilograms of cannabis concealed in white sacks on Idere Road, Igboora, on Friday, December 6.
In Lagos, two suspects were arrested in separate incidents. A 65-year-old grandmother, Ramata Bola Adeyemo, was taken into custody on Friday, 6th December, at 62 Odunfa Street, Lagos Island, where 20.6 litres of codeine-based syrup were recovered. Meanwhile, Alhaji Lawan Manga was arrested on Thursday, 5th December, at Ogundana Street, Ikeja, with 4.7 kilograms of cannabis and 1.3 kilograms of tramadol.
War Against Drug Abuse Campaign
The NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across various schools, religious centres, workplaces, and communities during the past week. Sensitisation lectures were held in locations including:
- Progressive Secondary School, Ado Awaye, Oyo State
- Muslim Grammar School, Ede, Osun State
- Government Girls College, Maiduguri, Borno State
- Community Secondary School, Ogale, Rivers State
- Santa Maria Secondary School, Igogoro, Enugu State
- Chiranci Upper Basic Junior Secondary School, Bichi, Kano State
Additionally, the Lagos State Command of the NDLEA organised a WADA lecture for leaders and members of the NURTW in Orile Agege, Lagos.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the efforts of the officers and operatives from MMIA, Adamawa, Ekiti, Lagos, and Oyo Commands for their successful operations. He praised their dedication to reducing both drug supply and demand, stating that their balanced approach is greatly appreciated.
