NDLEA apprehends 2 brothers heading to India with 5kg of cocaine at Lagos Airpor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended two brothers, John Abugu, aged 43, and Kenneth Abugu, aged 31, for their attempt to smuggle five kilograms of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

The arrest occurred on Thursday, April 3, by the agency's Special Operation Unit, following the effective processing of reliable intelligence.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy for the NDLEA, it was reported that the suspects were caught while preparing to board a flight to India.

Babafemi disclosed that the cocaine was ingeniously hidden within the walls of their suitcases.

"Although the suspects asserted that they were traveling to India for medical treatment, NDLEA operatives performed a comprehensive search of their luggage, which resulted in the identification of a whitish powdery substance," Babafemi noted. "Subsequent testing confirmed that the substance was cocaine."

On the same day, operatives from the NDLEA assigned to the MMIA Strategic Command apprehended a 20-year-old Ghanaian-British individual named Parker Osei. He was found in possession of 36 parcels of "Loud," a highly potent cannabis strain, weighing approximately 19.4 kilograms, which was carefully concealed within a large travel bag.

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Osei, who described himself as a Computer Science student at East London University in the UK, was detained during the passenger clearance process at the E-arrival hall of Lagos airport. He had arrived on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand.

In his account, the young man stated that he lives with his parents in the UK. He acknowledged that he had traveled from London to Bangkok about a week earlier, where he received the drug shipment intended for delivery in Nigeria. The NDLEA emphasized that these arrests highlight its steadfast dedication to combating drug trafficking and dismantling international drug networks that operate through Nigerian airports. These actions are part of the agency's ongoing initiative to ensure robust security and monitoring at Nigeria's primary entry and exit points.

Babafemi commended the thoroughness and alertness of the agency's operatives, reiterating that traffickers, irrespective of their backgrounds or disguises, will be met with the full force of the law. The NDLEA's recent achievement contributes to its expanding record of significant arrests and seizures at MMIA, a well-known hub for illegal drug trafficking due to its global connections. The agency encouraged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activities, as community involvement is crucial in the battle against drug-related offenses.