A 59-year-old Nigerian businessman, Sylva Ezeokoli, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly smuggling 700 grams of cocaine concealed in his stomach.
The arrest was made on Friday at the E-Arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Ezeokoli, who had spent 35 years in Brazil, was returning home aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from São Paulo via Addis Ababa.
In a statement on Sunday, the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said a body scan conducted by its officials revealed foreign objects in his stomach and was later confirmed to be cocaine.
“As a result, he was placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 29 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 700 grams”, Babafemi added.
He said the suspect claimed that he wanted to sell the drugs in Nigeria to boost his business.
Babafemi said, “In his statement, the suspect claimed he operates an African store in Brazil where he sells provisions, shoes and clothes. He added that he bought the illicit consignment in Sao Paulo to resell in Nigeria to raise substantial capital to boost his business”.
The NDLEA spokesperson also said two consignments containing cocaine and pentazocine injection going to the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos were intercepted on 26 November.
He said, “Meanwhile, the NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Investigation and General Investigation, on Tuesday, 26 November, intercepted two consignments containing cocaine and pentazocine injection going to the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos. While the cocaine weighing 200 grams was concealed in local fabrics, 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 110 grams were hidden in cartons”.
In Kano State, Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives on 28 November arrested three suspects: Jamilu Adamu, 38; Umar Musa, 32; and Bunu Ali, 27, with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3,135,000 pills exol-5 at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria Road.
In addition, he stated that a strong strain of cannabis produced in Ghana was recovered at Ilesan Beach in Lagos.
Babafemi said, “No fewer than two 120 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis produced in Ghana, were intercepted by the NDLEA operatives at the Ilesan Beach, Lagos, on Thursday, 28 November. A suspect, Onibogi Muftau, was arrested in connection with the seizure, while four vehicles that were to convey the shipments from the waterfront were also recovered.
“This came on the heels of the seizure of 472kg of the same psychoactive substance at Idi-Iroko, Imeko area of Ogun State on Monday, 25 November”.
Babafemi further disclosed that in Edo State, the NDLEA operatives conducted an intelligence-led raid on Ukuwague Street, Benin City, on Thursday, 28 November, resulting in the arrest of two suspects, 60-year-old Monday Onyenemue and 42-year-old Evans Omogiede.
He added that during the operation, officers recovered 185.6 kilograms of cannabis and a Toyota Previa bus with registration number BEN 06XL used to transport the illicit substance.
