By Ken Afor
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a significant blow to a cocaine trafficking cartel operating in Lagos and Ogun States, resulting in the arrest of its leaders, Mr. Bolanle Lookman Dauda, and Mrs. Olayinka Dauda.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Mr. Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, on Tuesday, May 28.
According to the statement, the operation, conducted by a special unit of the NDLEA, with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States, also led to the recovery of a substantial quantity of the illicit drug valued at multi-billion naira.
The couple was apprehended on May 25, 2024, at Ibiye along the Lagos-Badagry expressway, while attempting to cross the land border into Ghana, to deliver their consignment.
At the time of their arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine, weighing 47.5 kilograms, were found in their possession.
“A swift follow-up operation in their residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun State, led to the recovery of additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from the couple to 57.5 kilograms,” the statement read in part.
Elsewhere, operatives of the anti-narcotics agency made a substantial seizure of a lethal synthetic opioid and fentanyl during a raid in Lagos State.
The statement added that no fewer than 1,100 ampoules of fentanyl, weighing 6.48kg, were recovered from a 34-year-old member of a drug trafficking cartel, Mr. Ikeh Ifeanyi, at the popular Idumota market on Lagos Island.
Another member of the same cartel, 48-year-old Mr. Chieze Benjamin, was also apprehended at the Idumota market, where 790 ampoules of the dangerous opioid, weighing 5.273kg, were recovered.
Also, operatives apprehended Mr. Olayiwola Aremu Kazeem, 37, and Mr. Ogunfowora Taofik Ajibola, 35, on Lagos Island, in a different raid, with 432 grams of methamphetamine recovered from them.
Elsewhere, at the Tincan port in Lagos on May 25, the operatives intercepted a significant haul of a synthetic cannabis strain, known as “Loud.”
The statement revealed that 15 parcels, weighing a total of 7.5kg, were carefully concealed within the doors and body crevices of a Toyota Highlander SUV contained in a shipment marked, MSMU 7294325.
The container, declared as carrying three used vehicles, including the Toyota Highlander, originated from Toronto and was shipped to Nigeria via Montreal, Canada, according to the statement.
“A swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of two suspects: Sunday Sodade and Oriyomi Adesina, who were to receive the vehicle and the drug consignment. A bribe of six million naira offered to NDLEA officers by the sender of the container based in Canada, through his agent, has also been registered as an exhibit for the prosecution of the case,” the statement added.
Reacting to the arrests of the drug kingpins and the seizure of these dangerous illicit drugs, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohamed Marwa (retd), commended the officers and men of the special operations unit for their resilience in targeting and dismantling drug cartels and barons.
He also commended the result-driven cooperation between NDLEA, its local and global allies, encouraging all branches and units of the agency to continue their proactive measures against the drug trade.
