Monday, 24 May 2021: The national Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine with a street value of over N8billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The bag of cocaine, which landed at MMIA Lagos on 8th May, from GRU, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia weigh 27.95 killogrammes.

Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, has disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on 9th May in Abuja.

According to Babafemi, a Brazil drug kingpin, Ejoofor Felix Enwereaku, who led a syndicate was arrested at the point on 14th May.

He said the suspect was arrested for importing 27.95kg of cocaine using an organised criminal gang, which specialized in tagging and planting drugs in innocent travellers’ luggage.

Babafemi added that, based on intelligence, narcotic agents at the MMIA had on Saturday 8th May intercepted a bag that arrived the Lagos airport from GRU, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

As disclosed by him, the baggage with tag No. – ET331199 arrived through an Ethiopian airline flight, it was a disclaimed bag, which was opened in the presence of the arriving passenger on the flight.

He said the disclaimed bag was promptly secured by NDLEA operatives for investigation.

He further said on 9th May, a man came to the airport to make inquiry on how to get the disclaimed bag released. He was promptly arrested for investigation.

“The disclaimed bag was opened in the presence of the arriving passenger and the man who came to negotiate the release of the disputed bag.”

“A follow up sting operation was carried out, which led to the arrest of Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, the prime suspect on 14th May, upon his arrival from Addis Ababa onboard Ethiopian airline.”

Babafemi added that during preliminary interrogation after his arrest, he confessed to have been contracted by his Ethiopian associate, a notorious drug baron to claim and push out the consignment in Lagos.

Felix admitted to have paid the 24,500 dollars bribe in three tranches to compromise NDLEA officers.

“The first was 10,000 dollars delivered through his representative in Lagos and another 10,000 dollars via his First Bank account while the third tranches of 4,500 dollars was paid at the point of his arrest.

“His group is suspected to be responsible for recruiting traffickers to move illicit drugs to various destinations using Nigeria as their transit location and also planning drugs in the luggage of innocent traveler,” Babafemi said.

Reacting to the arrest, the Chairman, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, (rtd) said he was impressed by the outcome of the intelligence-led operational strategies that took weeks of painstaking effort and closely monitored by him.

Marwa also commended the Commander, MMIA Command of the agency, Ahmadu Garba, his officers and men for their diligence and resilience in following up every lead in the case until the kingpin was successfully entrapped and arrested.