Paris-bound bizman arrested with 111 cocaine wraps

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 48-year-old businessman, Emmanuel Orjinze, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Orjinze was arrested for ingesting 111 wraps of cocaine, with a total weight of 1.603 kilograms. The suspect, who claimed to be a professional footballer in Europe, was apprehended during the outward clearance of an Air France flight to Paris, France, on May 27

The NDLEA released a statement through its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, providing details of the arrest. According to the statement, after a body scan confirmed the presence of illicit drugs in Orjinze’s system, he was taken into custody. Over the course of three days, he excreted a total of 111 pellets of cocaine. Orjinze, in addition to his claims of being a professional footballer, stated that he was involved in the maritime sector and was also scouting for opportunities with European football clubs.

In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the NDLEA officers dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate. Four members of the network were arrested, and a total of 8kg of methamphetamine and 7.60kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis imported from South Africa, were seized. The syndicate was exposed when an official was caught with illicit substances in their backpack and bag during a search at Terminal 1.

The NDLEA’s efforts also led to the arrest of a freight agent named Sonubi Abiodun, who attempted to export eight parcels of cocaine concealed in paint buckets to the United Kingdom. In Lagos, the agency apprehended suspects involved in the production and distribution of skuchies, a mixture of black currant and illicit drugs, and recovered 2,480 litres of the psychoactive substance.

In Cross River State, a suspect named Ogar Emmanuel was arrested with 2.5kg of cannabis, while a warehouse belonging to Usani Ikpi yielded a seizure of 290kg of cannabis. The warehouse owner, however, remains at large. In Katsina State, three suspects—Sa’adu Sule, Mukhtar Nura, and Hamza Nura—were arrested with 70kg of cannabis originating from Ogun State.

The NDLEA also conducted raids in various locations, resulting in the arrest of several individuals and the seizure of drugs. In Abuja, five suspects—Ezekiel Munda and Sule Mustapha among them—were apprehended during raids, and a total of 95.01kg of cannabis and various quantities of opioids were recovered. In Edo State, a notorious drug dealer named Zekere Sufianu was arrested in Auchi town. He was found in possession of 751 grams of Loud, 178 grams of tramadol, and pills of swinol.

These arrests and seizures are part of the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria. The agency remains committed to its mission of ensuring a drug-free society and will continue to pursue individuals involved in illicit drug activities.