Drug kingpins arrested following interception of methamphetamine consignment
Qatar-based drug dealers, Eyah Celestine Nnamdi, also known as Murphy, and Ugwuoke Peter Oluchukwu have been arrested by the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, in Lagos. This followed the interception of their methamphetamine consignment.
Ugwuoke was apprehended during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers at the Lagos airport on June 9th. The NDLEA officers discovered that he was travelling with false documentation, using an Ivorian international passport with the name Hien Narcisse. A subsequent search of his luggage led to the discovery of a false bottom concealment of methamphetamine weighing 1.00kg.
Further investigation revealed that Ugwuoke was working with Murphy, based in Qatar. Murphy’s true identity is Eyah Celestine Nnamdi, who had recently returned from the Arab nation. He was captured in Eziani, his home town in Nsukka, Enugu State.
The NDLEA has also arrested a female pharmacist, Ikwebe Ori Hellen in Kaduna, for possession of six cartons of pentazocine injection with 2,000 ampules. The consignment was initially intercepted at the MMIA in Lagos before being mailed to Hellen using forged documents of a Kaduna hospital.
In addition, the NDLEA has seized a total of 1,072 kilograms of cannabis in two raids in Niger state. The first, on June 15th, resulted in the recovery of 726kg of the substance at Oyoyo filling station along Kaduna – Abuja express road. The following day, the agency intercepted a Mercedes 1422 truck marked MKD 116ZM on its way from Umunede, Delta state, with gallons of palm oil to be delivered at Garki market in Abuja. The truck was carrying 19 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 346kg.
Lastly, the NDLEA has destroyed a total of 30.9 hectares of cannabis farms in Delta, Edo, and Ondo in the past week. In Delta, 18 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed in Umuchime village, Ogume, Ndokwa West LGA by the NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers. Four suspects have been arrested on the farms, including two men and two women.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of MMIA, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Kano, Niger, Borno, Benue, Bauchi, and Enugu Commands for their vigilance and professionalism. He urged them to be more alert and remain professional to further serve the nation.
