NDLEA arrests alleged drug baron at Abuja airport

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an alleged drug baron, Udemezue William, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on his return from Brazil.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this via a statement issued on Tuesday.

Babafemi revealed that William’s arrest was with the support of the Nigeria Immigration Service which followed the earlier arrest of some drug couriers linked to him as their sponsor.

According to him, those earlier arrested include two mules, Messrs Adolphus Okeke and Anayo Nnanna.

The NDLEA spokesperson said Okeke, a 52-year-old father of four, who claimed to be a businessman, was arrested at the Abuja airport by the anti-narcotic operatives with 20.75 kilogrammes of black liquid cocaine on Tuesday, March 15 upon his arrival onboard Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Doha, Qatar to Abuja.

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He noted that the liquid was discovered upon search of his luggage stuffed with six smaller bags containing 32-makeup mascara, which tested positive for cocaine.

Babafemi stated that Nnanna, a 39-year-old Brazilian returnee, was arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha to Port Harcourt on Tuesday, March 29.

The NDLEA spokesman disclosed that Nnanna was arrested with 73 sachets weighing 8.15 kilogrammes of cocaine, which is the largest seizure of such at the airport since it began international flight operations years ago.

He said further investigations of the two traffickers revealed Udemezue William as the drug baron behind the cocaine cartel, and as a result, he was watch-listed and arrested upon his return from Brazil last Friday.

In his reaction, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers of the anti-drug agency involved in the clinical investigation that led to the unmasking of the two barons.

Marwa said gone were the days when drug kingpins can hide behind traffickers and remain faceless, warning that the new NDLEA will continue to unravel them one after the other if they fail to back out of the criminal trade.

The Star