China-based businessman, two Angolans excrete 236 cocaine wraps at Kano, Abuja airports

Babafemi quoted Ibeanu as saying he was a trader on Lagos Island before relocating to Guanzhou, China two years ago.

The statement reads: “The duo of Mbandu Martins Makiadi, 50, and Ngoma Wilson Fernando, 52, both Angolans, were intercepted on Wednesday, 4th February, at the screening point of the departure hall of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport,  Kano during the outward clearance of passengers going to Istanbul, Turkey via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940.

“During interview, the suspects who hail from Hoji Ya Henda in Luanda, the capital of Angola, claimed they were recruited by a Luanda-based auto spare parts dealer who promised to pay them $3,000 each upon the delivery of the consignments in Turkey.”

Babafemi also said an atempt by a convicted drug kingpin, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, to export 1.10 kilograms of cocaine concealed in processed cassava granules, popularly known as garri, to London, United Kingdom, on a Virgin Atlantic flight, had been thwarted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

He said Olashupo is serving a five-year jail term at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos, after NDLEA arrested him last year in connection with the  conspiracy to export 17.90kg cocaine, and was convicted and sentenced in charge number FHC/L/925C/2025, by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

He said the convict, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Dimeji Express Logistics, at 20 Omilade Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, initiated the latest scheme from the prison to export the 1.10kg cocaine, using his company.

His lid was, however, uncovered last Thursday, by NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport who intercepted a consignment of compressed block of cocaine, hidden in a sack of garri.

 which was further packed inside a carton,” Babafemi said.

Babafemi said a staff member of Dimeji Express Logistics, Adedeji Yusuf Gbolahan, who presented the consignment for export was arrested.

He said investigations showed that Oladimeji initiated the trafficking scheme from prison and directed Yusuf to pick the consignment at a Oshodi.

He said a similar attempt by a 44-year-old estate surveyor Adelaja Taiwo Adetayo to export 1.70 kilograms of skunk concealed in five jerry cans to the United Kingdom, was equally frustrated by the agency’s operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport.

He said the cargo agent Mustapha Quddus Opeyemi, who presented the consignment for export, was initially arrested while a follow up led to the arrest of Adelaja at Ahmadiyya area of Lagos last Monday.

The statement reads: “In Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 12th February intercepted a waybill package sent from Enugu containing children’s toy guitar. A search of the guitar revealed that it was used to conceal two parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis, weighing 59.2grams. A follow-up led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment Henry Onuma at Dream City Estate, Life Camp.

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“In Lagos, NDLEA officers on Friday 13th February raided a four-bedroom duplex at 2 Alexandria Terrace, Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki, used for the production and storage of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis. The raid followed the seizure of 73 cartons of nitrous oxide at Iyare Motor Park, Ajah–Epe Expressway, a consignment intended for Benin City, Edo State. The driver of the vehicle moving the shipment, Amos Innocent was arrested while Victor Oyedeji was nabbed at the Lekki home where 13.2 kilograms of freshly produced Colos were recovered in addition to precursor chemicals.”

Babafemi also disclosed that a notorious female drug dealer in Ibadan, Oyo state, Oluwayemisi Bunmi, 45, was on February 13 arrested at her enclave in Hope Alakia area of the state capital.

Recovered from her include 1.189kg Colos, skunk; 320grams of methamphetamine; monetary exhibit of ₦2,975,000 and two cars: a Navy blue Toyota Matrix car marked JJJ 629 FQ and a Sky blue Toyota Matrix car with registration number LND 602 AQ.

Babafemi said no fewer than 105,400 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect, Kamilu Abdullahi, 43, when his J5 vehicle marked DTM-765XA, was intercepted by NDLEA operatives

at Bode Saadu, Kwara State on February 12.

He said in Edo State, five suspects - Murtala Mohammed, 37; Abdulkadir Idris Mohammed, 29; Ufoma Edafe, 40; Anthony Aghati, 46; and Emmanuel Owalu Ekele, 39, were arrested last Saturday when NDLEA operatives raided the Yoruba Camp, Olumoye Forest, in Ovia North East Local Government Area, where 563.5 kilograms of skunk were recovered.

  Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) praised the officers for their efforts and enjoined them to continue the balanced approach to their drug supply reduction.