By Chioma Iruke
Notorious drug dealer, Stephen Afam Ikeanyionwu has been arrested at a church in Ojodu, Ikeja area of Lagos state by operatives of the Nation Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Ikeanyionwu who is wanted for attempting to export 69.65kilograms of cocaine, heroin and cannabis to the United Kingdom through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, was on Sunday 15th August, traced to a popular pentecostal church at Mike Ajari street, Ojodu Berger, where they arrested him soon after he stepped out of the church service.
According to the NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, his arrest followed the interception of a consignment of illicit drugs weighing 69.65kg going to the UK through the Lagos airport on Thursday, 12th August, 2021.
The illegal baggage had been sent to the airport for export through a freight forwarding company, which in turn gave a driver to deliver at the NAHCO export shed. Following the arrest of the driver, follow up operations and investigations later revealed the true identity of the actual owner of the consignment, who was arrested three days later in a sting operation.
Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives arrested an Italy-bound passenger, Abibu Miminu, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airways flight to Italy via Addis-Ababa for ingesting illicit drugs. While under observation at the Agency’s facility between Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th August, 2021, the trafficker excreted 68 wraps of heroin in three excretions, all weighing 800grams.
This was even as the narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation intercepted at two courier companies in Lagos, 840 grams of Methamphetamine going to Australia concealed in bolts; 340 grams of Meth hidden in locally made footwears, also going to Australia; 1kilogram of cocaine coming from Ghana with UK as destination concealed in four local guitars. Also seized from one of the courier firms is another 480grams of Meth concealed in footwears heading to Australia.
Meanwhile, a South Africa returnee, Obi Chigozie Samuel, was also last Sunday arrested at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines from Addis-Abbaba, for importing 58grams of skunk into Nigeria. During preliminary interview, he admitted ownership and claimed to be a cannabis smoker.
