NDLEA uncovers cocaine cache in Anambra monarch’s palace

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra State have uncovered various quantities of cocaine and heroin stashed in the palace of a ruler in the state.

Muhammadu Misbahu Idris, the State Commander of the NDLEA, said 58.5 grams of cocaine and 13.9 grams of heroin were concealed in the palace of the traditional ruler.

However, Idris did not give details of the monarch, including his name and domain among others.

“Investigations are ongoing to unravel how the illicit drugs were hidden in the palace and the palace security guards are helping in tracing the dealer behind the consignment,” he said.

NDLEA spokesman in the state Mr Odigie Charles, however, did not give further details on the issue.

According to him, the new regime in NDLEA says that after any discovery of illicit drugs in any state, the command should forward the report to the headquarters.

However, another source has said the monarch in question is the Igwe of Obosi.

“The drugs were recovered from his palace. We are still investigating his link to the consignment while the dealer said to be the owner is on the run. There is a manhunt for him at the moment,” the source said.

Obosi is a hilly area bordered by Onitsha to the North-West, Nkpor to the North-East and Oba to the South-East. Sources said apart from Nnewi, it is the biggest town in Anambra State.

In Lagos, the NDLEA said its officials have arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Hassan Bishi Taiwo, with three parcels of cocaine in a false bottom in his suitcase.

He was intercepted at the E-arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at the weekend.

Taiwo was arrested after he alighted from an Ethiopian Airlines flight at 1.30m on Friday, the agency’s spokesman Femi Babafemi, said on Monday.

Head of the agency’s command at Lagos airport,

Ahmadu Garba, said the suspect came into Lagos from Addis Ababa but actually travelled to Addis Ababa from Abuja.

“Upon a thorough search, we discovered another ticket on him while our findings also showed that he has been plying his criminal trade through some Middle East countries,” he said.

In the same vein, narcotic officers attached to a courier company in Lagos have intercepted 500g of unaccompanied cocaine going to the United Arab Emirates and concealed inside the walls of packed cartons containing clothes.

Babafemi said the operatives also intercepted in another courier firm one kilogramme of cannabis concealed in cream bottles going to the UAE while 500g of ketamine hidden in artefacts and going to the US was also recovered from the same company in Lagos.

“Equally, another 480g of unaccompanied methamphetamine going to China was recovered from the same courier company,” he said.

Speaking on the developments, the Chairman/ Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the commanders, men and officers involved in the operations for their vigilance and charged them to continue with the vigour of the offensive action maxim of the new leadership of the lead anti-drug agency.