NDLEA nabs businessman over attempt to export cocaine package as foodstuffs to UK

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 55-year-old businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, who deals in clothing at the popular Balogun market in Lagos Island, over an attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in cartons used to package foodstuffs going to the United Kingdom.

The businessman was arrested on Thursday, July 23, following the interception of his cocaine consignment at the export shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday, July 22, by NDLEA operatives.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, said three cargo agents – Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed, and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim – who handled the shipment were initially arrested, leading to the arrest of Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for shipment to the UK.

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Babafemi said Okakpu’s arrest provided the lead to identifying Onuigbo as the kingpin behind the syndicate and his eventual arrest while attempting to send another consignment of cocaine to the UK.

The NDLEA spokesman stated that a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, also involved in illicit drug trafficking was arrested at her residence in the Surulere area of Lagos by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, July 21, following the seizure of her consignment of 2.80kg Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight on July 20.