N240million illicit drugs seized at the airport in three months

Emeka Ibemere

last week, despite the low morale, poor incentives and lack of funds at the agency’s headquarters, the officials at the Murtala Mohammed

International Airport (MMIA), of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Lagos, took time out to reel out their records of achievements in the first quarter of the year to the media.

 To them, it was a season to be happy going by the records the agency churned out.

Their joy was that, huge success was made within the first quarters of the year under review-2014. But even the records do not move the authorities for more funding to enable the agency raise the bar in the ongoing crack-down in smuggling illegal drugs in and out of the country.

Even as more are being arrested, jailed and their wares seized, more are still warming up to jet out of the country with ingested and inserted drugs into their body.

The illicit trade in Nigeria has remained all-time high that as 10 Nigerians are coming in weekly with drugs 15 persons or more than that were being prevented from leaving the shores of the country with cocaine. This could be understood more, when the records presented last week is place at a glance. According to the commander of the NDLEA at the MMIA, the drugs weighing 95.93kg were seized between January and March 2014. “Within the first quarter of 2014, the Airport command seized cocaine 9.060kg, heroin 16.950kg, cannabis 27.235kg, methamphetamine 3.4kg, ephedrine 2kg, morphine 14.96kg,apresoline 3.505kg, pethidine 10.82kg and diazepam 8kg. The total weight of seized drugs in the period under review is 95.93kg,” Hamza stated.

The total street value of all the illicit drugs seized was valued at two hundred and forty million naira (N240, 000,000). Mr. Hamza Umar, the NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, also gave the breakdown of arrests and seizures in the first quarter of 2014 as follows. “A total of 19 suspected drug traffickers were also apprehended. The suspects include sixteen males and three females.

The Anti-narcotic Agency observed that there was a reduction in quantity of drugs seized in the first quarter of 2014 when compared to 2013. According to him, this was because in the first quarter of 2013, total drugs seized at the Lagos airport was 172.145kg. He disclosed that the quantity of drugs was reduced by 76.215kg in the period under review.

Speaking further, he stated that the number of persons arrested was also reduced by one. Comparing the 2013 and 2014 statistics, Umar explained that various types of drugs and suspects in 2013 were in more quantity and numbers.

“The record of drug seizure and arrest in first quarter of 2013 is as follows; cocaine 16.015kg heroin 0.165 grammes and methamphetamine 155.965kg.Total drug seized amounted to 172.145kg while suspects are18 males and two females”, he stated. But in his statement, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that the Agency would continue to intensify security checks at all exit points in the country. “The reduction in the quantity of drugs seized is an indication that we are making progress in our search operations. We shall continue to improve on our counter-strategies through the use of latest technology in drug control,” Giade stated.

The NDLEA boss also assured that the cases of those arrested shall be diligently prosecuted to a logical conclusion.

Even as the report for the first quarter was being dished out to the media, the NDLEA, at the airport detected 11.5kg of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis inside cosmetics. Anti-narcotics agents made the discovery at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) warehouse during screening of goods on a KLM flight to Suriname.

Mr. Hamza Umar said that the drug which was hidden in cosmetics was destined for Paramaribo, capital of South America country, Suriname. In his words, “the suspect, Oguike Franklin, 33, brought a consignment of cosmetics for shipment to Suriname. In the process of search operation, officers found out that some of the soap containers had been replaced with dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis. The drug weighed 11.5kg”.

The 33 year-old Aba based electronics trader said that he was introduced into drug smuggling by a friend when his business was no longer flourishing.

 “I am a trader living at Aba, Abia State. It was my friend that introduced me into smuggling cannabis to South America. He told me that I could earn $5,000”, he further stated. “My business has been going down and I am indebted. This is my first time”.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade commended the officers for detecting the drugs. “This arrest and seizure is commendable. I urge members of the public to avoid drug trafficking and report suspected drug traffickers to the Agency. We shall take necessary measures in preventing the country from being used for drug trafficking,” Giade stated. The suspect would soon be charged to court.