The illicit drug was also concealed in dry pepper en route to South Africa and Kenya through the Lagos State International Airport, where it was intercepted by operatives of the agency.The NDLEA said the consignment was discovered in the luggage of a notorious drug trafficker, Suleiman Oba, who had with him two boxes loaded with ephedrine sealed in packs.
He was attempting to board a Rwanda Air flight to South Africa at the Lagos Airport when he was arrested.
Credible intelligence by the agency identified Oba as a member of a Transnational Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO), distributing Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine and Ephedrine between Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.
The NDLEA noted that following Oba’s arrest, some members of the DTO have been “promptly arrested, their mansions raided and their luxury vehicles seized,” a statement signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said on Sunday.
The statement read partly, “In his statement, Suleiman who holds a South African passport, married to a South African lady and has lived there for over 20 years, identified Hakeem Babatunde Salami who equally lives in Lagos and South Africa as the head of the drug ring.
“A follow-up raid in the house of Salami located at 75 Wosilatu Dawodu Street, Ijesha, Aguda area of Surulere, Lagos on Monday 28th August revealed that he had fled the country on the same day Suleiman was arrested.
“However, a white Toyota Venza car with registration number LSR 410 HT, a Mercedes Benz SUV marked LSD 998HP, phones and vital documents needed for further investigation were recovered from the house.
“An official of the airport, Godwin Shedrack (a.k.a Goddy) fingered as a member of the syndicate is also under investigation”.
Similarly, the agency had thwarted an attempt by a freight agent, Oyekola Akeem to export a consignment of 180 canisters of laughing gas to South Africa Akeem for a fee of N2 million.
Operatives said they seized the cargo and arrested the suspect.
The NDLEA added, its “operatives on Friday 25th August succeeded in arresting a drug kingpin, Ngene Emmanuel Onyedikachi, who recruited the fake couple, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum arrested for ingesting 1.822kg and 1.50kg of Cocaine respectively at the Lagos airport on 1st August while on their way to India.
“The kingpin was picked up at his residence located at 28 Afolabi Brown Street, Akoka, Yaba, after an intensive surveillance that lasted 25 days.
“During his interview, Onyedikachi confessed that the two suspects: Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum were introduced to him by another member of his syndicate, who he claimed he met at Zion Church in the Cele area of Lagos. He explained that the drug was sourced from Guinea Conakry.
“The suspect revealed that when he got information about the arrest of the fake couple, he threw away his old mobile phone along with the SIM cards to avoid being traced, adding that he became relaxed and refused to leave his house because the two couriers do not know his house since they have only met twice at different locations.
“He said he was living in India before he returned to Nigeria in 2022 after the Indian authorities discovered that he was using an Ivory Coast International passport. A blue Acura Legend car was part of items recovered from his home during his arrest.
