NDLEA arrests man with N2.3bn cocaine at Abuja airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 38-year old man, Okey Eze, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with 350 wraps of cocaine worth over N2.3bn.

The suspect, who claimed to be a tiler from Orji River in the Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State, was arrested on Wednesday during an inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian airline flight en route Bamako-Addis Ababa- Abuja.

A statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the illicit drug weighing 7.70 kilogrammes was concealed in eight packs tucked in different parts of his luggage.

It stated, “In his confession, Eze, a resident of Bamako, Mali, said he traveleld to Mali through Seme border in Badagry, Lagos State since 2019.

“He further claimed that he came to Nigeria with the drug because he needed to raise money to take care of his late elder brother’s four children.

“The suspect also claimed he asked his friend who is resident in Brazil to assist him with some money but declined and instead told him to pick up a bag with the drugs from a friend of his in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a fee of N500,000 on successful delivery to someone whose contact would be sent to him on arrival in Nigeria.”

He quoted the Chairman/ Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) as commending the commander, officers and men of the NAIA command for their vigilance.

He said the new NDLEA under his leadership would continue to deal decisive blows on the various cartels trying to turn Nigeria into a hub of illicit drugs.