NDLEA seizes cocaine worth over N8bn, arrests drug kingpin at MMA, Lagos

A Brazilian drug kingpin has been arrested at the Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA which has intercepted 36 blocks of cocaine, weighing 27.95 kg and weighing over N8billion.

A statement issued by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi said the drug lord, Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, who leads a syndicate was arrested at the airport on Friday 14th May, 2021 for importing 27.95kg of cocaine using their organised criminal gang, which specialises in tagging/planting drugs in innocent travelers’ luggage.

According to intelligence, narcotic agents at the MMIA intercepted a bag that arrived at the Lagos airport from GRU, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the Ethiopian airline with baggage tag No- ET331199 but was disclaimed by an arriving passenger on the flight on Saturday, May 8, 2021. The unclaimed bag was quickly secured by NDLEA agents for investigation.

On Sunday, 9th May, 2021, a man came to the airport to make inquiry on how to get the disclaimed bag released. He was promptly arrested for investigation.

The disputed bag was opened in the presence of the arriving passenger and the man who came to negotiate its release. When the bag was opened, it was discovered to contain 36 blocks of cocaine weighing 27.95kg. A follow-up sting operation was conducted, which resulted in the arrest of Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, the prime suspect, on Friday 14th May upon his arrival from Addis Abeba onboard Ethiopian Airlines.

During preliminary interrogation following his arrest, he admitted to being hired by his Ethiopian associate, a notorious drug baron, to claim and transport the consignment in Lagos, Nigeria. He also admitted to paying the $24,500 bribe in three installments to NDLEA officers. The first tranche of $10,000 was delivered through his representative in Lagos, followed by another $10,000 through his First Bank account, and the third tranche of $4,500 was paid at the time 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 planting drugs in the luggage of innocent travellers.

Impressed by the outcome of the intelligence-led operational strategies that took weeks of painstaking efforts and closely monitored by him, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) 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.

General Mohamed Buba Marwa said “I have warned that we’ll henceforth not only go after the traffickers but with the same vigour target the cartels and the kingpins that operate them; the latest arrest is a clear confirmation that we’ll match our words with action and that we’ll come for those who will not back out of the criminal trade, wherever they are hiding pushing instruments of death through our borders to destroy the lives of our youths.”