NDLEA Nabs Cocaine Hidden in Orijin Bitters to Malaysia
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has delivered a massive blow to international drug syndicates, intercepting 5.8 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside Orijin Bitters cartons destined for Malaysia. The agency also apprehended a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman at Lagos airport attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine disguised as plantains to London. These decisive actions prove Nigerian authorities are fiercely protecting our borders and our youth from the scourge of illicit drugs, cleaning our own house without any foreign interference.
How did NDLEA bust the Malaysia-bound Orijin Bitters cocaine ring?
Smugglers tried to use our beloved Orijin Bitters as cover, but NDLEA saw right through the game. Operatives tracked the shipment to Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra in Malaysia. Onyeka was nabbed in his village in Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, identified as the alleged kingpin. The 5.8kg stash was packed into the walls of nine Orijin Bitters cartons as part of a consolidated cargo heading to Kuala Lumpur.
Before catching the boss, NDLEA rounded up four accomplices in Lagos. The suspects include cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie, and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the cartons used to conceal the illicit drug.
Who is the 67-year-old woman caught with cocaine plantains?
In a separate sting at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), 67-year-old Nigerian-British citizen Mary Yetunde Barek was arrested at Terminal 2. She was preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London when officers discovered 31 wraps of cocaine weighing 13 kilograms. The drugs were molded to look like plantain hands and hidden among food items in her luggage. Barek, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, reportedly confessed to owning the haul during interrogation.
What other drug seizures did NDLEA make across Nigeria?
The crackdown did not stop in Lagos. NDLEA teams swept through multiple states, confiscating hard drugs and putting suspects behind bars. The nationwide operation shows serious muscle:
- Taraba State: Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, was arrested along Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden in vehicle fuel tanks.
- Kaduna State: Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were caught with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine in Gwantu.
- Ebonyi State: Francis Ifara Eja, 65, was arrested with a massive 231.7 kilograms of skunk.
- Plateau State: Alhaji Babani, 75, was apprehended with 15 kilograms of skunk in Qua'an Pan.
- Gombe State: Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, were picked up in Kuri village with 556 kilograms of cannabis sativa.
How is NDLEA fighting drug abuse in Nigerian communities?
Enforcement is only half the battle; securing the future means educating the youth. The NDLEA is actively running its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, taking the message straight to schools, workplaces, and communities. Institutions like Girls Secondary School Abagana, Government Technical College Obe, Adeola Odutola College Ijebu Ode, and Federal College of Education Staff Demonstration School Kabuga have all received sensitization visits.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commended the officers across MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe commands for their relentless work. He charged them to keep the pressure on the cartels while intensifying public enlightenment campaigns.
We are cleaning our own house, proving that Nigeria has the will and the muscle to secure its future without any foreign interference.
What did NDLEA find in the Orijin Bitters cartons?
NDLEA found 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed within the walls of nine Orijin Bitters cartons destined for Malaysia.
Who was arrested at Lagos airport with fake plantains?
Mary Yetunde Barek, a 67-year-old Nigerian-British caregiver, was arrested at MMIA Terminal 2 with 13 kilograms of cocaine packaged to resemble plantain hands.