Who owns the drugs?

...as NDLEA discovered abandoned N300million drug in luggage

Emeka Ibemere

Who owns the illicit drug worth close to N3oomillion that was abandoned at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos State?

This is the question the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar is trying to uncover even as the agency has beamed their security torchlight on some customs agents at the airport.

Investigation shows that a gang of drug syndicate may have abandoned the killer ‘wares’ to avoid arrest on arrival of the luggage.

The illicit drug said to have been abandoned was put at 9.270kg of heroin.

The drugs allegedly originating from Pakistan enroute Lagos landed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

Operatives of the NDLEA discovered the drug inside an abandoned luggage on the conveyor belt during inward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight.

NDLEA operative who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the owner of the luggage may have decided to abandon it when he saw the tight security manned by the agency’s operatives.

NDLEA is working on theory that the drug was sent from a Pakistan by a drug peddler but that another agent of the syndicate in Lagos was to clear the luggage on his behalf. 

In January, 2012, sniffer dogs of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency recorded their first major seizure of narcotics that year. It was gathered that the anti-narcotic agents had placed the consignment on surveillance following the alert signal of the sniffer dogs. The operation led to the ultimate abandonment of 16 kilogrammes of high grade heroin by a suspected drug syndicate at the National Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), Shed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The brownish substance that tested positive for heroin weighing 16 kilgrammes was packed in white transparent polythene and hidden inside metal pipes.

The drug which was industrially packed was brought as cargo on a KLM flight from the Republic of Iran. The estimated street value of the drug in Lagos, Nigeria is about N160 million and could be four times higher in international market.
 To ascertain the ownership of the mystery luggage, the agency conducted 100 percent search because of the alert given by the sniffer dogs. The effort paid off when the heroin was found. The cargo with Air Waybill number 0747419547 was addressed to one Mr. Nnaemeka Chinedu Joseph of 64, Ladipo Industrial Parts, Mushin Lagos. NDLEA however, invited a welder who forcefully cut the pipe open to discover the drugs.

According to Umar, the consignment arrived from Iran but was left unclaimed.

 “The consignment was at the NAHCO shed upon arrival from Iran. Based on suspicion we placed it under observation. However, when nobody came forward to take delivery of the consignment, we first brought in the sniffer dogs to examine it. The dogs alerted that the thick metal pipes are positive for narcotics. This was what emboldened us to conduct extensive examination openly witnessed by customs, police and other security officials. They were all amazed at the clever way the drug was concealed,” Hamza explained.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency Ahmadu Giade said that the action is an eloquent testimony that drug trafficking syndicates are losing the drug war.

 “This is another important seizure to the Agency and the country. It points to the fact that our control measures at the exit and entry points are getting better by the day. No doubt, it is a huge loss for the drug cartel behind the illegal shipment. This is a very successful operation and we have launched full scale investigation into the illegal import. We hope to unveil the culprits soonest,” Giade stated.

The NDLEA boss added that the role of the sniffer dogs in the seizure underscore the importance of logistic support in the drug war.

As that wasn’t enough, NDLEA again discovered 5.9kg of abandoned cocaine inside industrial equipment at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos in 2010.

The cocaine which weighed 4.6kg was hidden inside flasks packed with baby items. Like the first consignment, it originated from Panama, Central America on board a KLM flight.
 The Agency also arrested four suspected drug traffickers who were found with narcotics. A total seizure of 12.455kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of N137million was made NDLEA. Giade disclosed that the abandoned cocaine and other arrests have shown that drug traffickers are having difficulties bringing in their drugs into the country.

“No drug cartel will abandon drugs knowing how much the drugs cost. Narcotics are very expensive and for drug traffickers to abandon their drugs shows the level of security alertness at the nation’s entry points. The two abandoned cocaine seizures came from Panama. Both shipments are being investigated and we hope to get those that are behind the importation,” Giade stated. The NDLEA boss also tasked anti-narcotic operatives to remain vigilant as ever and detect more drugs in the days ahead.
According to Mr Hamza Umar, the names of the four suspects then were Onwuegbuaku Okechukwu Anselm, 35, Ifediora Romanus Obunike, 26, Ohaebosun Nickolas, 28, and Nwabueze Emmanuel Kansiriyochukwu, 31.  
“The abandoned cocaine seizure weighing 4.6kg was hidden inside flasks. Four suspects were also caught attempting to import various quantities of cocaine into the country. They are Onwuegbuaku Okechukwu Anselm, who was found with 1.510kg, Ifediora Romanus Obunike, had 1.070kg, Ohaebosun Nickolas found with 2.175kg and Nwabueze Emmanuel Kansiriyochukwu who had 3.100kg in his possession. In all, we seized a total of 12.455kg” Hamza stated.

The suspects were questioned by anti-narcotic investigators. In their statement, the suspects attributed their involvement to the pecuniary offers made to them by barons. Apart from Ohaebosun Nickola that sells ladies clothes in Dakar Senegal, other suspects are traders based in Nigeria.
Onwuegbuaka Okechukwu Anselm sells shirts at Onitsha. He said that he would have been handsomely rewarded for bringing the drugs into the country. “I am a petty trader in Onitsha. I sell shirts to earn a living. They bought my return ticket and promised to give me money for my business”.

Ifediora Romanus Obunike told investigators that he was promised the sum of N200, 000 to bring in the drugs.
 “I sell phone accessories at Onitsha. My involvement is a temptation because I have financial difficulties and I needed money that was how I agreed to smuggle the drugs. They offered me the sum of 200,000 naira and took care of all travel expenses,” Ifediora stated.

Ohaebosun Nickolas who resides in Senegal said that he needed money to relocate his business back to Nigeria. “I wanted to come back to Nigeria and start a new life. I lived in Senegal for seven months. My condition of living is such that I was in dire need of financial help. I saw the drug deal as my opportunity of starting my dying business again,” Ohaebosun stated.

Nwabueze Emmanuel Kansiriyochukwu who sells phone accessories said that he regretted his action.
“I am very sad over my involvement in drug trafficking. I sell phone accessories in Lagos Island. I was tempted by the monetary offers, and now I have been caught on my first drug trafficking trip,” he lamented.
Apart from Anselm that hails from Imo State, other suspects are natives of Anambra State. The suspects were charged to court and their case is on trial.

On Monday 13 January, 38 year old auto parts dealer, Ohagwu Earnest Ifeanyi tried his luck to ferry drugs boarding a Qatar airline flight to China with 735 grammes of heroin hidden in his stomach. He was also arrested as the agency was trying to take possession of the abandoned drug.

The heroin weighing 10.005kg is valued at over N80million.

According to Mr. Hamza Umar, the seizure is a good way to start the year.

“This is a good start for us considering the value of the drug. The heroin seizures comprising 9.270kg imported from Pakistan and 735 grammes ingested by one Ohagwu Earnest Ifeanyi weighed 10.005kg”, Umar added. “The suspect was arrested following a positive test for drug ingestion.”

The 38 year old suspect, Ohagwu Earnest Ifeanyi is from Enugu State. He disclosed that he smuggled drugs to recover from a financial loss of N2 million.

“I sell auto parts at Onitsha where I live with my wife and two children. My involvement in drugs was to enable me recover from the N2 million losses I incurred in my business”, he stated. “My friend in China was the one that introduced me into drug trafficking. They were to pay me the sum of 2,500 dollars. They gave me the heroin to swallow in a hotel room in Lagos but I was arrested at the airport”.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that the drug seizure underscores a rise in the nation’s counter-narcotics campaign.

“Drug cartels only abandon their highly valued drugs when it becomes impossible to beat security checks. This seizure clearly underscores the Agency’s steady progress in counter-narcotics operations. Besides taking the seized drug out of illicit circulation, we have also prevented the suspect from facing possible death penalty in China for drug trafficking. The Agency will leave no stone unturned in the fight against drug barons,” Giade stated.

The NDLEA boss called on members of the public to report cases of drug trafficking to the Agency.  He added that efforts are being made to trace the importers.