Categories: CrimesNews

NDLEA nabs 2 Saudi-bound pilgrims, businessman for ingesting 155 wraps of cocaine

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two Saudi Arabia-bound pilgrims and an Iran-bound businessman for allegedly ingesting 155 wraps of cocaine.

The two pilgrims, Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado, were apprehended at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 940 to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on Monday, May 26, 2025.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this via a statement issued on Sunday, June 1.

Babafemi stated that the intending pilgrims were thereafter taken for scanning, and the result confirmed ingestion of illicit substances.

Saudi Arabia deports Gumi, bars him from 2025 hajj

Babafemi said the suspects were subsequently placed on excretion observation during which they excreted 45 wraps of cocaine each, bringing the total for both to 90 pellets with a total weight of 1.04kg.

He added that NDLEA operatives at the Kano airport on Wednesday, May 28, intercepted a 60-year-old businessman, Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1432 to Iran.

Babafemi disclosed that the businessman’s body scan confirmed he ingested illicit substances, and was placed on excretion observation during which he excreted 65 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.41kg.

The Star

Segun Ojo

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