The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a couple, Mmadu Agbakoba and Ijeoma Agbakoba and their associate, for trafficking cocaine worth N2.1 billion.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said they were arrested during a raid of the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate led by the couple and their associate, Ifeoma Okoye.

The director said large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered from the suspects.

He said the raid was carried out by a special operations unit of the agency following months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate.

The spokesperson also said they were notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking cocaine within and outside Nigeria.

He added that the 54-year-old Mr Agbakoba was arrested at Ago Palace Way, Okota Lagos, and his wife, 39, and their associate, Ms Okoye, 31, who doubled as their stash keeper, were nabbed at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.

“Seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilogrammes were recovered from Mmadu at Ago palace way.

“Not less than 122 compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42kg were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate.

“This brings to the total seizure to 10.1 kilograms valued at over N2.1 billion in street value,“ he said.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Benue state on Thursday, July 4, intercepted a consignment of 350 grammes of cocaine at a checkpoint along Enugu road, Otukpo.

Mr Babafemi said the illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel.

“A swift follow-up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony,” he said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers on a stop-and-search operation along the Ngurore – Yola road in Adamawa state on Wednesday, July 3, arrested a Chadian, Yves Ahmat Gali, in a commercial bus from Kano to Yola.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was found with a loudspeaker used to conceal 20 compressed blocks and nine plastic containers of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 5.200kg.

Also, in Kano, operatives on Wednesday, July 3, arrested a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, 25, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of the city with 1.250kg of Loud.

Mr Babafemi said the head of the Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Osun, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was on Friday, July 5, arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.

In another development, two suspects, Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37, were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided Ikota forest in Ifedore LGA, Ondo state.

Mr Babafemi said a total of 42,500kg of cannabis was destroyed on 17 hectares of farmland, while 73.5kg of the same substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects during a five-day operation that ended on Monday, July 1.

Meanwhile, in Abuja, the FCT, NDLEA operatives, on July 6, arrested the duo of Sanusi Mamman, 28, and Usaini Ibrahim, 20, in a vehicle along Abaji- Gwagwalada.

Mr Babafemi said the suspects were with 1,132 bottles of codeine syrup, 13,540 pills of tramadol, 50,000 pills of diazepam and 59 pills of Rophynol.

“The suspects claimed they were bringing the opioids from Onitsha, Anambra state,” he said.

(NAN)