Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 38-year-old suspected drug mule, Okafor Ifeanyi Anthony, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano State.
Okafor was arrested on September 15, 2024, while attempting to board a Qatar Airlines flight to Iran via Doha with 76 wraps of cocaine concealed in his stomach.
In a statement released on Sunday, September 22, by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the agency confirmed that Okafor ingested 1.267kg of cocaine before his arrest.
He was placed under excretion observation, and after three days, the suspect expelled all 76 pellets of the illegal substance.
Additionally, in a separate operation in Kogi State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway intercepted a shipment of 700,000 pills of exol-5, an illegal drug, which was en route from Lagos for distribution in Kano and Kaduna. The interception took place on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
In another related incident, NDLEA operatives arrested a 23-year-old suspect, Udemefuna Chibuike, along the Mokwa-Jebba road in Niger State on Friday, September 20, 2024. Chibuike was found in possession of 49,000 tablets of tramadol, 20,000 tablets of diazepam, 100 ampoules of tramadol injections, and 50 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine.
These arrests and seizures are part of NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to crack down on drug trafficking and distribution networks across the country.
The agency has reiterated its commitment to tackling the illegal drug trade and ensuring that drug traffickers are brought to justice. Investigations into the cases are ongoing, and the suspects are expected to face prosecution.