Grandfather, medical doctor held in major drugs bust

…….Nabs couple, recovers large consignments of illicit drugs in Lagos, others raid

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 93-year-old man and a 69-year-old medical doctor in connection with alleged drug trafficking. The arrests followed intensified offensive action and a crackdown on drug cartels and their collaborators in intelligence-led interdiction operations across the country.

NDLEA media and advocacy director Femi Babafemi said in a statement yesterday that Friday Chigbu, 93, was arrested at his home in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, in the Osisioma local government area of Abia on Tuesday, April 7. A search of his residence led to the recovery of 7.7kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

According to the agency, the suspect claimed he had worked as a truck pusher and later learned painting and tiling before entering the illicit drug business over a year ago. Chigbu claimed he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before turning it into a business.

The agency revealed that efforts to unravel local collaborators of an international drug syndicate led to the arrest of an Ivorian, Gohouri Michael, 41, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Michael was found with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49kg.

A follow-up operation in Ogun led to the subsequent arrest of medical doctor Chudi Ofomata, 69. Michael, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, was arrested on Monday, February 16, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan.

Michael had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17 and shuttled between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks before travelling to Kano. He allegedly ingested the cocaine consignment in his hotel room and expected to be paid €5,000 upon delivery in Italy.

Further investigation revealed Ofomata was the figure providing Michael with instructions. Ofomata was tracked to his residence at Teachers’ Land Estate in Magboro, where he was arrested on March 27 and flown to Kano on Tuesday, April 7. Items recovered from him included 63g of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection.

In separate developments, NDLEA operatives arrested Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke, and Adekunle Adeyemi with 34kg of skunk during a raid in Sango Ota on April 7. Additionally, 56.2kg of skunk was recovered from Ayoka Akinwale, 26, in Imo on Saturday, April 11.

Logistics and distribution networks disrupted In Niger, operatives arrested Abdullahi Umar, 32, and his wife Adama Umar, 25, on Thursday, April 9. A search of their home in Takuti village led to the discovery of 118kg of skunk in their kitchen.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Borno intercepted a trailer carrying vehicle spare parts from Nnewi, Anambra. They recovered 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, 82,700ml of codeine syrup, and 10,000ml of pentazocine injection. The consignment owner, Eleje Ibeabuchi, 43, was arrested in a follow-up operation.

In Lagos, operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a luxury bus on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway on April 7. A search revealed 15kg of “Scottish Loud” cannabis. Two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, were arrested.

On Saturday, April 11, officers in Mushin intercepted a truck heading to Onitsha, seizing 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup. Suspects Adesunloye Dada and Chibuzor Chime were taken into custody. In Abuja, a raid on the Tora Bora joint led to eight arrests and the seizure of 11.516kg of skunk.

In Edo, operatives intercepted two trucks on Warrake Road, Auchi, on April 11. The vehicles contained bags of processed skunk concealed among cartons of beer. The total weight of the seizure was 7,245kg.

Five suspects were arrested in connection with the Edo seizure: Ibrahim Abu, 29; Abu Abdullazeez, 28; Jibril Jaminu, 35; Andrew Moses, 22; and Ganiyu Abu, 21. The agency has also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities nationwide.