India-bound Nigerian passenger ingests 80 wraps of cocaine, arrested

By Mark Ogagan

Operatives of the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, say they have arrested a Delhi, India-bound passenger, Freeman Charles Ogbonna, at the screening point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, Lagos for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine.

A release by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, said Ogbonna was arrested on Sunday 31st March while attempting to board his flight to Delhi, India via Doha on Qatar Airways, with a Liberian international passport, bearing the name: Carr Bismark. He added Ogbonna was taken for body scan, which tested positive for ingestion of illicit drugs.

“Preliminary checks revealed his real identity as Freeman Charles Ogbonna and was subsequently placed under observation in NDLEA custody where he started to manifest signs of discomfort. Obviously choked by the volume of illicit drugs in his stomach and another substance taken to hold back excretion, the suspect soon began to retch before starting to vomit and excrete wraps of cocaine he ingested almost simultaneously.

“The suspect who claimed he was recruited into drug trafficking by one of his relatives eventually passed out a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus over a period of four days. The great risk that almost took his life notwithstanding, Ogbonna said he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in Ipodo area of Ikeja with a promise to reward him with N300,000 cash if he successfully delivers the consignment in India,” he said.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport on Wednesday 3rd April intercepted a drug mule, Imran Taofeek Olalekan at Gate C departure of Terminal 1 travelling to Oman with a check-in luggage and a backpack. When his check-in bag and backpack were subjected to thorough search, the operatives discovered a false bottom concealment of drugs in the check-in luggage and in the walls of the backpack.

The NDLEA officers swiftly moved in on a man who accompanied the suspect to the airport. He was later identified as Ishola Isiaka Olalekan who recruited the trafficker.

“Imran Taofeek Olalekan said he returned from Dubai some years ago but still has a valid residence permit on his old passport. He claimed he was promised N1,500,000 if he successfully delivers the consignment in Oman, while his recruiter, Ishola was to be paid N200,000.

“Curiously, when the two bags were completely unpacked at the NDLEA office, a charm was found in one of the bags while another one was found on the drug mule who confessed that he traveled to Ibadan, Oyo state to meet with an ‘Alfa’ that prepared the charm for him to ensure he was not caught during the trip.”

Another charm, Babafemi said, was also found on the intermediary, Ishola Isiaka Olalekan who accompanied Taofeek to the departure area of the airport. Ishola claimed he procured the charms for the sum of N70,000.