The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two suspected drug traffickers for attempting to smuggle 125 wraps of heroin into Nigeria. The arrests took place at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the suspects were caught during routine checks and later expelled the heroin after being monitored. The first suspect, Onyekwonike Elochuckwu Sylvanus, also known as Kargbo Mohamed Foday, was arrested on February 2 at Port Harcourt airport upon arrival from Doha via Abuja. A body scan confirmed he had ingested 62 wraps of heroin, weighing 1.3kg. Investigations revealed Sylvanus, a dual Nigerian and Sierra Leonean citizen, has been trafficking drugs between Thailand, Pakistan, Iran, and West Africa since 2017, following the collapse of his clothing business.
The second suspect, James Herbert Chinoso, 48, was arrested on February 1 at Lagos airport after arriving from Madagascar via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed he had ingested 62 wraps of heroin weighing 909g. Chinoso admitted to turning to drug trafficking after his phone accessories business in Liberia failed. He expelled the drugs after being placed under observation.
In other operations, the NDLEA intercepted 2.8kg of synthetic cannabis, known as “Loud,” at a Lagos courier firm on February 6. Additionally, 80 ampoules of pentazocine, a controlled painkiller, were seized in cartons destined for Canada. In Kano, two suspects, Usaini Salisu and Yahaya Mu’azu, were arrested with 15,396 tramadol pills hidden in a gas cylinder. In Kogi State, 12,800 tramadol pills were intercepted on the Kabba-Obajana highway, leading to the arrest of 33-year-old Salisu Basiru.
NDLEA chairman Buba Marwa commended the officers involved, calling the operations a significant success in the fight against drug trafficking in the country.
