By Deborah Nnamdi
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a 42-year-old Indian lady, Ms. Neetu Neetu, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin factory-sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.
NDLEA stated that the class A drug consignment, weighing a total of 11 kilograms, was recovered from Neetu’s luggage after a thorough search, following processed credible intelligence, during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of Kano airport on Friday, 14th March 2025.
A statement by the Director of Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday disclosed that Neetu’s arrest signifies a growing attempt by drug trafficking organizations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through Nigerian borders.
He stated that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated these attempts with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence, quoting the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), in his reaction to Neetu’s arrest.
In a separate operation in Kano, NDLEA officers on Thursday, March 20th, apprehended 45-year-old Michael Ogundele at Gadar Tamburawa, along Zaria-Kano Road, with a 50-litre steel gas cylinder. Acting on reliable intelligence, officers used welding tools to cut open the cylinder, uncovering 50,000 tramadol 225mg pills hidden inside.
On Wednesday, March 19th, 40-year-old Sunday Ogar was arrested in the Gunduwawa area of Kano with 27kg of skunk, a type of cannabis. Additionally, 40-year-old Khadijah Abdullahi was detained on Tuesday, March 18th, in the Lungun Bulala Yalwa area of the state with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Lagos, Olumuyiwa Kolawole and Samod Adisa were arrested in Mushin with 67.5kg of skunk, while 100.8kg of the same drug was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in the Anifowoshe area of Mushin. Additionally, Isah Idris was apprehended in Apapa on Tuesday, March 18th, with 4.5kg of skunk, 600 grams of tramadol 225mg, and 30 liters of codeine syrup.
On the same day, Yahaya Mohamed was arrested in the Ikotun area with various amounts of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
NDLEA boss Marwa commended the officers and men of MAKIA, Lagos, and Kano Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.
He noted with satisfaction the balance in drug supply and demand reduction efforts of all the formations nationwide and also charged them not to relent.
