Salihu Ali, Abuja
Nigeria’s National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully detained a 29-year-old South African national, Erasmus Jean Pierre, for his involvement in an illicit attempt to export 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine to the Middle East.
In an official press statement, Mr. Femi BabaFemi, the spokesperson for the agency, confirmed the arrest. He stated that Jean Pierre was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. The illicit substance was cleverly concealed within his luggage.
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— NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) August 27, 2023
“During the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 404 from Abuja to the Middle East via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, NDLEA operatives intercepted the suspect. A thorough search of his luggage led to the discovery of factory-packed whitish powdery illicit substances, found in various compartments of the bag,” BabaFemi revealed.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the agency indicate that the suspect arrived in Lagos via Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Saturday, August 19, and subsequently traveled to Abuja on Tuesday, August 22. On Wednesday, August 23, he took possession of the brown bag containing the illegal drug consignment before proceeding to the Abuja airport for his flight out of the country.
BabaFemi further disclosed that in the past week, NDLEA operatives made multiple arrests and seized illicit substances from suspects in several states, including Gombe, Ogun, Adamawa, Kwara, Yobe, Edo, and others.
In commending the efforts of the officers and personnel involved in these operations, the Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, urged them and their colleagues nationwide to intensify both drug supply reduction operations and drug demand reduction activities.
