Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Ezeokoli Sylva, a 59-year-old Nigerian businessman, for allegedly smuggling 700 grammes of cocaine concealed in his stomach.
The arrest occurred on Friday, November 29, 2024, at the E-Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
Sylva, who had lived in Brazil for 35 years, was returning to Nigeria aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from São Paulo via Addis Ababa.
A body scan conducted by NDLEA officials detected foreign objects in Sylva’s stomach, later identified as cocaine.
“As a result, he was placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 29 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine, weighing 700 grammes,” said NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi in a statement issued on Sunday.
Sylva admitted that he intended to sell the drugs in Nigeria to fund his business.
“In his statement, the suspect claimed he operates an African store in Brazil where he sells provisions, shoes, and clothes.
He added that he bought the illicit consignment in São Paulo to resell in Nigeria to raise substantial capital to boost his business,” Babafemi added.
In a related development, the NDLEA intercepted two consignments containing cocaine and pentazocine injections en route to the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos on November 26.
“The cocaine, weighing 200 grammes, was concealed in local fabrics, while 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection, weighing 110 grammes, were hidden in cartons,” Babafemi revealed.
In Kano, on November 28, operatives arrested three suspects Jamilu Adamu, 38; Umar Musa, 32; and Bunu Ali, 27 at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria Road.
The suspects were found with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3,135,000 Exol-5 pills.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 2,120 kilogrammes of Ghanaian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, at Ilesan Beach on Thursday, November 28.
“A suspect, Onibogi Muftau, was arrested in connection with the seizure, and four vehicles intended to transport the shipment from the waterfront were recovered,” Babafemi stated.
Earlier, on Monday, November 25, 472 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance were seized at Idi-Iroko, Imeko, Ogun State.
These arrests and interceptions underscore the NDLEA’s continued commitment to combating drug trafficking and ensuring the safety of communities across Nigeria.
