Six foreigners were arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after it intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilogrammes of cannabis, popularly known as “Ghanaian Loud,” at Eleko Beach in Lekki, Lagos, on Christmas Eve.
The six foreigners who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested during a midnight operation.
A statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the suspects include two Ghanaians, Godsway John (38) and Freedom Kelvin (33); and four Beninese, Chegoun Hounsou (23), Gadabor Nyameto (47), Adantg Sasa (34), and Ayao Kayivi (21).
He added that the cannabis consignments were smuggled into Nigeria from Ghana through the waterways.
Babafemi said, “Operatives of the Marine Command of the NDLEA at 2:30 am on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24, intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko beach in the Lekki area of Lagos.
“Six foreign nationals who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested during the operation. They include two Ghanaians, Godsway John, 38; and Freedom Kelvin, 33; as well as four Beninese: Chegoun Hounsou, 23; Gadabor Nyameto, 47; Adantg Sasa, 34; and Ayao Ayao Kayivi, 21.”
In a separate operation, Babafemi said a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Arthur, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris on Sunday, December 22.
He said Orizu was flagged during passenger clearance when he refused to undergo a body scan, claiming medical reasons.
“He was thereafter taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over seven days.
“In his statement, Orizu claimed he owns a shop at Balogun market, Lagos Island where he sells school and travelling bags, adding that he was promised 3,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Paris. He left his base in Lagos for the Abuja airport to connect his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection,” Babafemi added.
In Katsina State, Babafemi stated that two suspects were arrested in separate operations for possession of compressed cannabis sativa.
He said, “A suspect, Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested in possession of 40 album-sized parcels of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 35kg on Christmas Day, December 25 at the Central Motor Park, Katsina, while another suspect, Umar Ahmed, 47, was nabbed along the Zaria-Malumfashi Road, Katsina with 27 parcels of the same psychoactive substance weighing 13.5kg on Saturday, December 28.”
Similarly, Babafemi said a raid in Benin City, Edo State, on December 23 led to the arrest of a 21-year-old suspect, Kosisochukwu Ozigbo.
“Recovered from the suspect include: 32,490 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg; 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup and various quantities of other opioids,” he added.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
