Fake Couple Who Ingested 184 Cocaine Wraps Arrested At Lagos Airport

Fake Husband & Wife Who Ingested 184 Cocaine Wraps Arrested At Lagos Airport While Boarding Flight To India

Breaking News: NDLEA Arrests Alleged Couple at Lagos Airport Carrying Over 3kg of Cocaine, Unveils Deep Criminal Network

LAGOS – In an unprecedented sting operation on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, operatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested two individuals posing as husband and wife, carrying with them a startling amount of cocaine. The dramatic unfolding of the event left many at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in shock.

The two suspects, who introduced themselves to authorities as Onyebuchi Ilonzeh and Nonyelum Ilonzeh, claimed to be on their way to India for medical treatment. However, a closer inspection by the vigilant NDLEA officers revealed a staggering 184 wraps of cocaine, weighing 3.322kg, ingested by the duo. More shockingly, an additional 100 grams of the drug was found concealed in the female suspect’s private part.

As airline passengers prepared to board an Ethiopian airline flight to India, the usual humdrum of the airport’s international wing was shattered by the capture of these alleged drug traffickers. A brief statement released to the press by NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, gave a detailed account of the arrest.

Babafemi explained that while the couple’s travel documents seemed to corroborate their identities, an alert NDLEA officer decided to go the extra mile. “Relying on instinct, our operative subjected the duo to a body scan, which confirmed that both suspects had ingested the drugs,” the spokesperson said.

In a twist befitting a suspense thriller, it was discovered during the preliminary investigation phase that the pair weren’t actually married. Rather, they had cunningly procured travel documents with the same surname in an elaborate ploy to evade airport security checks. The alleged wife, initially introduced as Nonyelum Ilonzeh, revealed her true identity as Nkechi Ngogbike.

The plot thickened when it was uncovered that Onyebuchi Ilonzeh wasn’t who he claimed to be either. The suspect was none other than Ikenna Uwaezuoke, a known figure in the drug trafficking underworld and currently on bail for similar offenses.

Babafemi delved deeper into Uwaezuoke’s criminal history, stating, “Our crime database showed Uwaezuoke’s prior arrest by NDLEA officers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on March 19, 2022. Upon his arrival from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he was apprehended for ingesting 100 wraps of cocaine weighing 2.243kgs.” At that time, Uwaezuoke’s travel documents bore his real name, adding another layer of deceit to his modus operandi.

That previous arrest had seen Uwaezuoke, alongside another accused named Iro Uche, arraigned before Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Abuja. With a charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022, Uwaezuoke had managed to secure bail, pending the end of his trial.

The NDLEA’s detailed report indicated that during this latest arrest, Uwaezuoke excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.822Kg in five excretions. Meanwhile, Ngogbike was found to have excreted 101 wraps in four excretions, and another sizable wrap was discovered in her private area, totalling 1.50kgs.

In the aftermath of her arrest, Ngogbike made a startling confession. She admitted to being recruited for this operation in her local church in Aba, Abia State. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the community, raising serious concerns over the depth and breadth of the drug trafficking networks operating within Nigeria.

The NDLEA’s relentless pursuit of drug traffickers didn’t stop there. Babafemi confirmed that NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation have also made major busts in Lagos. Attached to local courier companies, they’ve intercepted vast quantities of drugs, including dextromethorphan mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, dimethyl sulfone, and cannabis. These were ingeniously concealed in various objects set for export to Europe, indicating the global reach of these nefarious networks.

As the nation grapples with this revelation, many questions arise. How deep does the drug trafficking network penetrate into Nigeria’s society? And with the audacity of repeat offenders like Uwaezuoke, are the nation’s legal consequences stringent enough?

The NDLEA’s recent successes are commendable, but they also shine a light on the long and challenging journey ahead in the fight against drug trafficking and its devastating implications for Nigeria’s youth and future.