OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a businessman, Olisaka Chibuzo Calistus, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State.
The suspect, an importer and exporter, was nabbed on Sunday, December 15 with 256 wraps of cocaine weighing 6 kilograms.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
“The seizure, which is the single largest interception of cocaine at the Kano airport since the creation of MAKIA Command of NDLEA in 2006 was made on Sunday 15th December 2024 during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” the statement read.
“Olisaka who claims to be into import and export business was subjected to body screening during which he was found to have packed hundreds of cocaine pellets in his body.”
He said the agency also thwarted a similar attempt by an ex-convict, Olanrewaju Bada Akorede to export a consignment of Rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.
The consignment was said to be hidden in a cargo containing gari, shoes, men’s singlets and other items.
According to the statement, Olarenwaju was convicted for a similar crime earlier this year following his arrest on 12th December 2023 for attempting to ship 4.90kg tramadol and 2.10kg Rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Lagos airport.
“He was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos with an option to pay a fine of N900,000, which he paid and was freed before returning to repeat the same crime.
“An Italy-based businesswoman Cynthia Akaeen was on Wednesday 18th December arrested by NDLEA officers while trying to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy via Addis Ababa. The suspect was intercepted at the departure point of terminal 2 of the Lagos airport during an outward clearance of passengers going to Italy.
“A total of 9,190 tablets of various brands of tramadol weighing 6.00kg were recovered from her. According to her, she was promised 1,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Italy,” Babafemi stated.
