The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said that it intercepted cocaine worth N8bn at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The agency in a statement signed by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the 36 blocks of cocaine weighed 27.95 kilogramme.
He also said that one Ejiofor Enwereka was arrested in connection with the drugs seized over the weekend.
Babafemi described Enwereka as a drug lord, whose criminal gang specialises in tagging and planting drugs in innocent travellers’ luggage.
“Based on intelligence, narcotics agents at the MMIA on Saturday, May 8, intercepted a bag that arrived the Lagos Airport from GRU, Brazil via Addis Ababa- Ethiopia on the Ethiopian Airline with baggage tagged, No: ET331199. But was disclaimed by an arriving passenger on the flight. The disclaimed bag was promptly secured by NDLEA operatives for interrogation.
“On Sunday, May 9, 2021, a man came to the airport to enquire how to get the disclaimed bag released; he was promptly arrested for investigations,” he explained.
The NDLEA official added that “the bag was opened in the presence of the arriving passenger and the man who came to negotiate the release of the disputed bag. When opened, we found out that the bag contained 36 blocks of cocaine, weighing 27.95kg.
“A follow-up sting operation was carried out, which led to the arrest of Ejiofor Enwereka, the prime suspect, on Friday, May 14 upon arrival from Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airline.”
Babafemi said the suspect, during interrogation, admitted to having been contracted by his Ethiopian associate.
According to the law enforcement officer, the suspect also admitted to paying $24,500 in three tranches to compromise officials of NDLEA.
“The first is $10,000 delivered through his representative in Lagos and another $10,000 via his First Bank account, while the third tranche of $4,500 was paid at the point of his arrest.”
