… as court grant NDLEA application for the interim attachment of a vessel MV Chayaneenaree used to import 32.9 kilograms
Olusola Bello
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled attempts by some desperate drug cartels to export different quantities of cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cannabis to London, the United Kingdom through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.
Femi Babafemi , NDLEA spokesman, in a statement on Sunday, stated that a few days earlier, October 21, a similar cargo had been intercepted at the NAHCO shed of the MMIA, where 7.35kgs of cannabis concealed inside some tablets of Dudu Osun black soap was recovered
According to him ,the Narcotic officers of the Agency had on Thursday 28th October during outward routine clearance of cargo at NAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted 20 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.2kg concealed in packets of Zee black soap; 23 parcels of heroin weighing 1.4kg hidden in packets of Zee black soap and 39 parcels of 2.35kg methamphetamine concealed in Dudu-Osun black soap packets.
No fewer than three suspects have so far been arrested in connection to the seizures.
He said a woman who was arrested and released and granted bail for attempting to smuggle drugs concealed in cassava flour meal, was barely a week after that arrested again for trafficking 5kg skunk called akpu. and 8.1grams of Molly and 8.1grams of Molly.
The woman, Mariam Adetilewa Dirisu, 35, and a mother of two months old baby, who claims to be a part-time 400-level student of International Studies and Diplomacy at the University of Benin, was first arrested on 21st October by the Edo State Command of the Agency.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) had on the same day directed that she be counselled and released immediately because of the young baby she was carrying.
“Curiously, a controlled delivery operation carried out by operatives of the Delta State Command of the Agency on Saturday 30th October again led to the arrest of Mariam who had ordered the drugs from Lagos even while still on bail for an earlier offence”.
In Ondo state, no less than 1,645 kilograms of cannabis were seized in three interdiction operations in parts of the state. Operatives had on 28th October stormed Emure cannabis farm camp where 313 kilograms of cannabis were seized and seven suspects: Paul Godwin; Michael Nnaji; Ezugu Lucky; Omolu Sunday; Simon Taiwo; David Udofia; and M. Suleiman arrested.
Operatives had the previous day raided the Ipele-Idoani forest where 534kgs of abandoned compressed cannabis were recovered just as a total of 798 kilograms of cannabis were seized from two suspects; Gbenga Falodun and Faseyitan Opeyemi at Ikare Junction, Owo area of the state.
Also recovered from them include a white Mercedes Benz truck Lagos LSR 06 XW and a monetary exhibit of N20, 000.
At least, two suspected fake security agents; Umar Ibrahim and Sadiq Abubakar as well as their accomplice, Auwal Hassan were arrested in Kogi State while conveying a total of 105.4 kilograms of cannabis from Ondo State to Kaduna on Saturday 30th October in a Mercedes Benz C 180 car with registration number Abuja BWR 924 KH.
Raids at three black spots in Oshodi, Ikeja, and Ogba areas of Lagos State on 23rd October have led to the arrest of a 15-year-old female SS II student of Idi – Araba Senior High School, Walaka Adams, who was arrested at No. 72 Mafoluku Road, Oshodi, with 100 grams of cannabis Sativa; Sodiq Ganun, a 24-year-old welder with 200grams of cannabis at the same address and Tajudeen Azeez, arrested at Ipodo, Ikeja, with nine grams of cocaine.
At a drug joint in the Ogba area of Ikeja, different quantities of abandoned drugs such as Molly, Rohypnol, and codeine-based syrup were recovered.
While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Delta, Ondo, Kogi, and Lagos commands of the agency for not resting on their oars, Gen. Marwa charged them and their counterparts in other commands to remain resolute in the ongoing efforts to cut access and availability of illicit drugs across the country.
In a related development , a Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the application by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for the interim attachment of a vessel MV Chayaneenaree used to import 32.9 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa Seaport in Lagos.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi noted in a statement on Sunday that besides the attachment order, the court also granted NDLEAs request to detain the master of the ship, Mr. Tanahan Krilerk, and 21 foreign crewmembers as well as seven Nigerians arrested in connection to the case.
The anti-narcotic agency had on October 13 intercepted the ship at the Apapa Seaport following intelligence from international partners and support from other security forces such as the Nigerian Navy, Customs, DSS, and the police.
A thorough search of the ship led to the recovery of 30 parcels containing cocaine which weighed 32.9kg.
Investigations into the seizure have been yielding more arrests of suspected local collaborators, as a result of which the Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) on Tuesday 26th directed that an application to attach the ship and detain the suspects for two weeks pending the conclusion of investigation and filing of criminal charges against suspects be filed in court.
The application in suit no: FHC/L/CS/1518/2021, which was filed by the agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Joseph Nbone Sunday on Thursday 28th October was granted the following day Friday 29th October by Hon. Justice A.O. Awogboro.
According to the court ruling, an order of interim attachment was granted to the Federal Government of Nigeria over the Vessel MV Chayaneenaree used as an instrumentality of unlawful transportation and importation of 32.9 kilograms of cocaine seized by the applicant aboard the vessel on 13th October 2021 at Apapa Port pending investigation and filing of the charge and prosecution.
An order of remand was further granted to the Applicant to remand the Master of the Vessel, Mr. Tanahan Krilerk and 21 other crew members of the said Vessel and 7 other persons arrested in connection with the case for a period of fourteen days pending investigation and or filing of a criminal charge.
The case was thereafter adjourned till 25th November 2021 for the report of investigation.