The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Simon Peter Oguejiofor, a 29-year-old returnee from Thailand, for allegedly importing 13.30 kilograms of heroin valued at over ₦3.192 billion. The arrest occurred at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on October 7.
Details of the Arrest
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Oguejiofor concealed the heroin in six backpacks, which were packed into two large suitcases. He had arrived in Lagos on October 5, having left Thailand on October 3 via Qatar Airways, with a layover in Doha. After spending two days in Doha, he contacted the airline to reroute his luggage to Nigeria, attempting to expedite the pick-up process to avoid security checks.
Upon exiting the airport, NDLEA officers intercepted him, and a search of his luggage revealed three empty backpacks in each suitcase, with heroin parcels sewn to all six. The total weight of the heroin recovered was 13.30 kilograms.
In his statement, Oguejiofor disclosed that he was hired for $7,000 to deliver the parcels—two in Lagos and four in Accra, Ghana.
Seizures of Other Illicit Drugs
In addition to the arrest, the NDLEA reported significant drug seizures at three seaports in Lagos. The agency intercepted large consignments of opioids with a combined street value of over ₦22.7 billion, including:
- 32,607,900 pills of tramadol valued at over ₦12.5 billion.
- 1.4 million bottles of codeine-based syrup worth ₦10.2 billion.
These consignments were seized from containers flagged by the NDLEA based on intelligence and were examined in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs and other security agencies between October 7 and October 11.
Additional Arrests
On October 12, NDLEA operatives in Anambra arrested a suspect named Okelue Chidera, 29, with 50,000 tablets of tramadol (200mg) in Onitsha. Meanwhile, in Edo State, operatives raided a cannabis transit point in Aviose, Owan West Local Government Area, recovering 70 bags of cannabis weighing 1,050 kg. Another suspect, Monday Akele, 38, was apprehended on October 11 in Ovia North East LGA with 110 kg of cannabis.
The NDLEA continues its efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria, with a focus on dismantling networks involved in the importation and distribution of illicit drugs.