NDLEA nabs couple, recovers N2.1bn worth of drugs in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has arrested a couple, Mmadu Agbakoba and Ijeoma Agbakoba as well as their associate, worth N2.1 billion.

This was disclosed in a statement by Femi Babafemi, director of media and advocacy, NDLEA, on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said they were arrested during a raid of the Lagos-based high-profile cocaine syndicate led by the couple and their associate, Ifeoma Okoye.

The director said large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered from the suspects. He said the raid was carried out by a special operations unit of the agency following months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate.

The spokesperson said the syndicate was notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking cocaine within and outside Nigeria.

He added that the 54-year-old Mmadu Agbakoba was arrested at Ago Palace Way, Okota Lagos. He said his wife, Ijeoma Agbakoba, 39, and their associate, Ifeoma Okoye, 31, who doubled as their stash keeper, were nabbed at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi close, Lilly Estate, in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.

“Seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652kg were recovered from Mmadu at Ago Palace Way.

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“Not less than 122 compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42kg were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate.

“This brings to the total seizure to 10.1 kilograms valued at over N2.1 billion in street value, “he said.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Benue State on Thursday, July 4, intercepted a consignment of 350 grams of cocaine at a checkpoint along Enugu road, Otukpo.

Babafemi said that the illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel.

“A swift follow-up operation at Flight Motor Park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony,” he said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers on a stop-and-search operation along Ngurore – Yola road in Adamawa State on Wednesday, July 3 arrested a Chadian, Yves Ahmat Gali in a commercial bus from Kano to Yola.

Babafemi said the suspect was found with a loudspeaker used to conceal 20 compressed blocks, and nine plastic containers of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 5.200kg.

Also, in Kano, operatives on Wednesday, July 3 arrested a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, 25, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of the city with 1.250kg of Loud.

Babafemi said the head of the Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Osun, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was on Friday, July 5 arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.

In another development, two suspects: Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37, were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided Ikota forest in Ifedore LGA, Ondo State.

Babafemi said that a total of 42,500kg cannabis was destroyed on 17 hectares of farmland while 73.5kg of the same substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects during a five-day operation that ended on Monday, July 1.