NIGERIA: NDLEA Nabs Paris-Bound Businessman, Three Others For Drug Trafficking

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur, for attempting to smuggle 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine through an Air France flight from Abuja, Nigeria to Paris, France.

In a statement signed by Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi on Sunday, Orizu was apprehended by the officers of NDLEA at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport during passenger clearance on Sunday, 22 December, 2024.

According to the statement, Orizu was flagged after he refused a body scan, claiming he’s medically unfit to go through the process.

He was subsequently taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted 74 wraps of the hard drugs over a period of seven days.

In his confession, Orizu revealed that he owns a shop at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, where he sells traveling and school bags.

He added that he was promised 3,000 Euro upon successful delivery of the drugs to Paris.

The suspect further disclosed that he had traveled from Lagos to Abuja to board the Air France flight, hoping to evade detection.

In another interdiction effort revealed in the statement, Femi further disclosed that the operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA on Christmas eve, intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko beach in Lekki area of Lagos.

One Ibrahim Shuaib, 35, in Katsina, was also arrested on Christmas day with 40 parcels of compressed Cannabis sativa weighing 35kg while in Edo State, the operative also arrested 21-year-old Kosisochukwu Ozigbo at new Lagos road Benin City, Edo state when the area was raided on Monday 23rd December.

The operatives recovered from the suspect; 32,490 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg; 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup and various quantities of other opioids.

The statement also revealed that the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the efforts of the officers and men of NAIA, Katsina, Edo and Marine Commands of the Agency for job well done in the past week, urging them to intensify their actions against drug barons while promoting the War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in the new year.