Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38 year old man, Okey Eze, with 350 wraps of cocaine worth over N2.3 billion in street value, at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
Eze, who claim to be a tiler by profession, hails from Orji river, in Oji-River local government area of Enugu state.
Director, media and advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, revealed that Eze was arrested on Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 during an inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian airline flight number 911 enroute Bamako-Addis Ababa-Abuja.
The illicit drug which was found on him, weighted 7.70 kilograms and was concealed in eight packs tucked in different parts of his luggage.
During his confession, Eze, a resident of Bamako, Mali, said he traveled to Mali through Seme border in Badagry, Lagos state since 2019. He further claimed that he came into Nigeria with the drug because he needed to raise money to take care of his late elder brothers four children.
He claimed that he had asked his friend, who is a resident in Brazil, to assist him with some money but declined and instead told him to pick up a bag with the drugs from a friend of his in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a fee of N500, 000 on successful delivery to someone whose contact would be sent to him on arrival in Nigeria.
He also said the bag containing the drugs was given to him on Wednesday morning at Addis Ababa airport.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Retd) commended the operatives of the NAIA command for their vigilance.
He noted that the new NDLEA under his leadership would continue to deal decisive blows on the various cartels trying to turn Nigeria into a hub of illicit drugs.
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