The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria (NDLEA) has arrested a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Abuba, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) for attempting to smuggle 120 wraps of drugs to Istanbul, Türkiye.
According to a statement by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Abuba, who hails from Zaire province, Angola, was apprehended on Tuesday, February 25, at the airport’s screening point while trying to board Egypt Air flight MS 880 to Istanbul via Cairo. A body scan confirmed that he had ingested illicit cocaine.
Following his arrest, Abuba was placed under observation and later expelled 120 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.829 kilograms in seven excretions. During interrogation, he claimed to have previously worked in township delivery services in Angola before venturing into drug trafficking.
NDLEA Continues Its Operations on Drug Trafficking
NDLEA operatives foiled another drug smuggling attempt at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, where an auto spare parts dealer, Okeke Ebuka, attempted to conceal 1.10 kg of cocaine in vehicle propellers destined for Angola. He was apprehended following credible intelligence.
Additionally, the agency intercepted a 5.40-kilogram cocaine shipment intended for Owerri, Imo State, arresting suspect Ezechi Iyke in his Toyota Sienna bus on Sunday, February 23, after weeks of surveillance.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives across the country have continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization programs in schools, religious centers, and workplaces. NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers from Tin-Can, Delta, Edo, Oyo, Kano, Osun, Borno, Zamfara, and Kwara for their dedication in combating drug-related crimes.