The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has captured a couple, Mmadu Agbakoba and Ijeoma Agbakoba, along with their associate, Ifeoma Okoye, for trafficking cocaine valued at N2.1 billion.
According to a statement from NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja, the arrests were made during a raid on the Lagos base of a prominent cocaine syndicate led by the couple and Okoye.
Babafemi reported that substantial quantities of the class A drug intended for both export and local distribution were seized from the suspects. The operation was conducted by a special operations unit of the agency following months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate.
The spokesperson emphasized that the syndicate was known for packaging, distributing, and trafficking cocaine within Nigeria and internationally. Mr. Mmadu Agbakoba, aged 54, was apprehended at Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, while his wife, Ijeoma Agbakoba, aged 39, and their associate, Ifeoma Okoye, aged 31, who also acted as their stash keeper, were arrested at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi Close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.
“Seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilogrammes were recovered from Mmadu at Ago palace way.
“Not less than 122 compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42kg were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate.
“This brings to the total seizure to 10.1 kilograms valued at over N2.1 billion in street value,“ he said.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Benue State on Thursday, July 4, intercepted a consignment of 350 grammes of cocaine at a checkpoint along Enugu road, Otukpo.
Babafemi said the illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel.
“A swift follow-up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony,” he said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers on a stop-and-search operation along the Ngurore – Yola road in Adamawa state on Wednesday, July 3, arrested a Chadian, Yves Ahmat Gali, in a commercial bus from Kano to Yola.
Babafemi said the suspect was found with a loudspeaker used to conceal 20 compressed blocks and nine plastic containers of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 5.200kg.
Also, in Kano, operatives on Wednesday, July 3, arrested a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, 25, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of the city with 1.250kg of Loud.
Babafemi said the head of the Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Osun, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was on Friday, July 5, arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.
In another development, two suspects, Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37, were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided Ikota forest in Ifedore LGA, Ondo state.
Babafemi said a total of 42,500kg of cannabis was destroyed on 17 hectares of farmland, while 73.5kg of the same substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects during a five-day operation that ended on Monday, July 1.
Meanwhile, in Abuja, the FCT, NDLEA operatives, on July 6, arrested the duo of Sanusi Mamman, 28, and Usaini Ibrahim, 20, in a vehicle along Abaji- Gwagwalada.
Babafemi said the suspects were with 1,132 bottles of codeine syrup, 13,540 pills of tramadol, 50,000 pills of diazepam and 59 pills of Rophynol.
“The suspects claimed they were bringing the opioids from Onitsha, Anambra state,” he said.