A Brazilian returnee, Okolie Paulinus Nwabueze, has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for importing 92 wraps of cocaine.
The Brazilian returnee was said to have ingested and eventually excreted the cocaine after days under observation in the NDLEA’s facility.
The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, made the disclosure via a statement issued on Sunday.
Babafemi stated that the 53-year-old trafficker, who hails from Mmaku village, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was arrested on September 2 upon his arrival on Qatar Airline flight enroute Brazil-Doha-Abuja.
He noted that the suspect left Nigeria for Mozambique in 2004 and finally relocated to Brazil in 2017, where he obtained a residence permit before deciding to import the illicit substance for a $4,000 fee.
The NDLEA spokesperson added that a 42-year-old man, Aliyu Bello Kwasare, has been arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano for attempting to export a consignment of new psychoactive substance, Akuskura, to Saudi Arabia.
Babafemi said Kwasare, who lives in Goron Dutse area of Kano, was arrested on September 5 during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline flight to Riyadh.
Speaking on the arrests and seizures, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the anti-narcotic officers for their resilience.
Marwa further charged them and their compatriots in other commands to remain focused and vigilant in their areas of responsibility.
