The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has confirmed the arrest of a couple, Bolanle and Olayinka Dauda, for running a cocaine trafficking cartel where the multi-billion-naira worth of illicit drugs were recovered in two major operations in Lagos and Ogun states.
The spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, confirmed in a statement on Monday that the raids were intelligence-led, adding that Bolanle and Olayinka were arrested through a joint operation involving the agency’s officials and the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States.
The statement read in part, “The duo were arrested on Saturday, May 25, 2024, by operatives of a special operation unit in the NDLEA with the support of Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway, while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana.
“At the point of their arrest, 42 blocks of the Class A drug weighing 47.5 kilograms were found on them. A swift follow-up operation at their residence on Plot 24/25 OPIC Extension, Petedo Road, Agbara, Ogun State, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from the couple to 57.5 kilograms.”
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In another raid by the special operation unit, Babafemi said no fewer than 1,100 ampoules of lethal synthetic opioid, fentanyl, weighing 6.48kg were recovered from a member of a drug trafficking syndicate, Ikeh Ifeanyi, 34, at the popular Idumota Market, Lagos Island.
He said, “No less than 790 ampoules of the dangerous opioid weighing 5.273kg were equally seized from another member of the fentanyl syndicate, 48-year-old Chieze Benjamin, who was also arrested at Idumota Market.
“Fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than heroin, is currently responsible for over 70% of overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the US.
“Two other persons, Olayiwola Kazeem, 37, and Ogunfowora Ajibola, 35, were arrested on Lagos Island in a different raid by the NDLEA officers, with 432 grams of methamphetamine recovered from them.
“At the Tin Can Port in Lagos, the NDLEA operatives intercepted 15 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 7.5kg concealed in the doors and body crevices of a Toyota Highlander SUV in a container marked MSMU 7294325.
“The container declared as containing three units of used vehicles, including the Toyota Highlander, originated in Toronto and was shipped to Nigeria via Montreal, Canada.”
Babafemi said a swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of two suspects, Sunday Sodade and Oriyomi Adesina, who were to receive the vehicle and the drug consignment.
“A bribe of N6m offered the NDLEA officers by the sender of the container based in Canada through his agent has also been registered as an exhibit for the prosecution of the case,” Babafemi added.
