Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled attempts by two drug kingpins to smuggle heroin into Nigeria through the Port Harcourt International Airport and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
Onyekwonike Elochuckwu Sylvanus, 30, who uses dual identities—Nigerian and Sierra Leonean passports—was intercepted at the Port Harcourt airport on Sunday, February 2, 2025, during the inward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha. A body scan confirmed he ingested illicit drugs, leading to the excretion of 62 wraps of heroin weighing 1.348 kilograms. Investigations revealed Sylvanus alternates identities for drug trafficking missions across Thailand, Pakistan, Iran, and West Africa.
Similarly, James Herbert Chinoso, 48, was arrested at the Lagos airport on Saturday, February 1, upon arrival from Madagascar via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed drugs in his system, and he excreted 63 wraps of heroin weighing 909 grams. Chinoso claimed he turned to drug trafficking after his phone accessories business in Liberia failed.
In related operations, NDLEA intercepted 2.82 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, at a Lagos courier firm on Thursday, February 6. The same day, 80 ampoules of pentazocine injection bound for Canada were seized at another logistics company in Lagos.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested Usaini Salisu and Yahaya Mu’azu, both 23, on Monday, February 3, recovering 15,396 tramadol pills concealed in a gas cylinder. Another suspect, Choima Okeke, 35, was nabbed with 15kg of skunk cannabis in Kano’s Sabon Gari area.
On Saturday, February 8, NDLEA officers in Kogi intercepted 12,800 tramadol pills and 65 parcels of Colorado cannabis, arresting suspects Salisu Basiru, 33, and Rufai Hassan, 32.
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