NDLEA Nabs Pastor, Wife At Seme Border With 11kg Skunk Hidden In SUV, Busts Cocaine Syndicate

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ and his wife after allegedly recovering 11 kilograms of skunk concealed in hidden compartments of their vehicle along the Seme border axis of Lagos.

The suspects, identified as Afolabi Hodonu, 45, and his wife, Success Hodonu, 35, were intercepted on April 2 at the Gbaji checkpoint while travelling in a Honda Pilot SUV.

According to the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, a search conducted on the vehicle led to the discovery of the illicit substance carefully hidden inside secret compartments.

Babafemi disclosed that the arrest followed the earlier apprehension of one Sunday Samuel, 35, described as a fake security operative, who was caught at the same checkpoint while transporting 24.5kg of skunk from the Seme border to Lagos.

In a related development, the anti-narcotics agency said it dismantled a drug trafficking network involved in smuggling cocaine to the United Kingdom.

The operation reportedly began on March 11 when NDLEA officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 3.10kg of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract packaged for export.

Two suspects, Idris Amoo and Akinlami Adedoyin, were arrested in connection with the shipment.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Ezemuwo Joel, who was allegedly operating under a false identity, and subsequently to King Arinze, 52, said to be the leader of the syndicate.

Babafemi said Arinze was traced to his hideout in Isolo, where NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse located on Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor area.

Items recovered from the warehouse included 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment, sealing machines, tin openers, paint sprays, 52 grams of cannabis sativa and hand gloves.

He added that the suspect confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins before concealing cocaine inside them.

In another operation in Borno State, NDLEA operatives arrested Aisha Adamu, 28, along the Gamboru-Ngala road for allegedly supplying drugs to armed groups operating between Nigeria’s North-East and Chad. About 4.3kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, was recovered from her.

Across other states, the agency recorded fresh seizures and arrests.

In Adamawa State, operatives intercepted a trailer loaded with 48,000 tramadol tablets along Namtari road in Yola South, leading to the arrest of Abdulaziz Ismail Korede and another suspect, Idris Adamu.

In Osun State, a 60-year-old woman, Idiatu Oladejo, was arrested in the Isale Osun area of Osogbo with 15kg of skunk.

A separate raid in Akure led to the recovery of 351kg of skunk and cannabis seeds from Itaogbolu forest.

Also in Benue State, NDLEA operatives arrested 66-year-old Aminu Usman Gembu in Aliade with 28,600 capsules of tramadol.

In Edo State, a suspect identified as Roland Owie, 37, was arrested after operatives uncovered 1,378kg of skunk in a warehouse in Egbanke community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

Similarly, in Oyo State, a woman identified as Ayantola Omodunmomi, popularly known as Iya Elle, was arrested in Ibadan after 45.6kg of skunk was recovered from her warehouse.

NDLEA said intelligence revealed that the suspect allegedly used her 11-year-old daughter to deliver illicit drugs to customers.