Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intercepted quantities of ephedrine, skunk and nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas concealed in semovita packs and dry pepper being shipped to South Africa and Kenya through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The illicit drugs were being shipped by members of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organisations (DTO), some of whom were arrested, their mansions raided and their luxury vehicles seized.
The agency said: “Through credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on 25 August, intercepted a notorious drug trafficker, Suleiman Oba, who is a member of a cartel distributing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine in Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique and Europe.
“He was arrested while attempting to board a Rwanda Air flight to South Africa with two boxes loaded with ephedrine sealed in semovita packs.
“The recovered substance is a precursor chemical and active ingredient in the production of methamphetamine.
“In his statement, Suleiman who holds a South African passport, married to a South African lady and has lived there for over 20 years, identified Hakeem Salami, who equally lives in Lagos and South Africa as the head of the drug ring.
“A follow-up raid in the house of Salami at 75, Wosilatu Dawodu, Street, Ijesha, Aguda area of Surulere, Lagos on 28 August, revealed that he had fled the country on the same day Suleiman was arrested.
“However, a white Toyota Venza car with number plate, LSR 410 HT; a Mercedes Benz SUV with number plate, LSD 998HP, phones and vital documents needed for further investigation were recovered from the house.
“In August 2021, the agency seized 25.60kg ephedrine from a trafficker, Arua Onwuka, at the Lagos airport, a seizure that has also been traced to the same cartel whose identified members are currently on the run.
“An official of the airport, Godwin Shedrack (a.k.a Goddy) fingered as a member of the syndicate is also under investigation.
“In the same vein, an attempt by another syndicate to export 10.40kg skunk concealed with scent leaf and pepper, going to Nairobi, Kenya, was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the airport on 26 August.
“A suspect, Ekechukwu Ndubuisi, has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.
