By Akinwale Kasali
Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma, a 26-year-old Nursing Student of Noida International University in Uttar Pradesh, India, has been arrested by Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, as she attempted to smuggle 76 Wraps of cocaine by ingesting them before boarding her return flight to India.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the Flight was scheduled to fly to Delhi, India, on Qatar Airways flight 14.32 on Friday, January 17, 2025, while Esther was arrested at 11:30 PM on Thursday, January 16, at the Royal Park Hotel in Sabon Gari, Kano.
It was disclosed by the NDLEA that Esther was waiting to receive the cocaine consignment for ingestion before her departure.
The breakthrough came when NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi State intercepted 31-year-old Cosmas Okorie in a commuter bus traveling from Lagos to Kano.
It was revealed that Okorie had 76 Cocaine Pallets weighing 1.34 kilograms hidden inside an audio speaker, destined for delivery to Esther.
Following his arrest, a swift operation led to Esther’s capture in Kano the same day.
In her statement, Esther admitted that she was recruited by a drug cartel in India which sponsored her trip to Nigeria under the guise of holidaying during Christmas and New Year.
To maintain secrecy from her parents, she avoided her home state, Imo, and, instead, stayed at a hotel in Enugu before traveling to Abuja and then Kano. She was promised over $5,000 if she successfully delivered the drugs to India.
Other NDLEA operations along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway resulted in the arrest of four suspects—Abdullahi Umar, Tijjani Samaila, Lucky Obotte, and Abubakar Haruna—transporting over 38,000 tramadol pills concealed in audio speakers and clothing.
In Lagos, a special operations unit raided the Ojodu-Berger residence of 59-year-old Nwokedi Emeka Jonas, seizing 10 parcels of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 4.9kg and assorted retail packaging materials labeled with street names like “Dead Man” and “Gelato Cake.”
Additional raids in the State led to the arrest of multiple suspects and the recovery of significant quantities of skunk, tramadol, and other illicit substances, along with delivery vehicles.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested several suspects, including Usama Adamu and Isah Ibrahim, from whom 7.6kg of skunk, 78 tubes of rubber solution, and 356 bottles of the psychoactive substance “suck and die” were recovered. Another operation along Zaria Road led to the seizure of 49.8kg of skunk from 29-year-old Usman Isa.
NDLEA operations in Kwara, Taraba, Abuja, and other regions resulted in the seizure of large quantities of drugs, including tramadol, cannabis, methamphetamine, and codeine syrup, and the arrest of numerous suspects.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization programs across the country, conducting lectures in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities. Advocacy visits included a meeting with Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
Commending the efforts of NDLEA personnel nationwide, the agency’s Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), encouraged them to remain steadfast in their fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
