The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 9.30 kilogrammes of cocaine worth over N2.7 billion at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said a 32-year-old drug trafficker based in Liberia, Maduabuchi Chinedu, was arrested with the consignment.
Babafemi said the suspect who hailed from Obaha Okigwe village, Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo state, lived in Liberia where he worked as a miner.
He said the suspect was arrested during an inward joint search of Ethiopian Airlines flight 911 at the Abuja airport on Nov. 24.
He said the drug, which weighed 9.30kg cocaine, was wrapped in candies wraps and concealed in the suspect’s luggage.
According to him, during his preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he left Nigeria in 2018 to settle in Liberia where he now has a residence permit.
“He, however, added that economic pressure and the need to raise money to treat his mother for an eye problem led him to seek help from a friend in Liberia,” said the statement.
Chinedu said it was the friend who introduced him to another friend based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who eventually gave him the drug to deliver in Abuja for a fee of N1 million.
He added that he was initially scheduled to deliver the drug in Cote d’Ivoire but was rerouted to Nigeria at the last minute.
Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retired) as commending the officers and men of the NAIA Command of the agency for their vigilance and working in synergy with other security agencies at the airport.
Marwa charged them and their colleagues in other commands to always remain two steps ahead of merchants of death who are daily getting more desperate to make money at the expense of the image of the country and wellbeing of Nigerians.
