Drug trafficking: NDLEA arrests 19 suspects at Lagos Airport

….says stiff penalties await erring officers
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) has arrested 19 suspects and seized a total of 14.030 kilogrammes of controlled and prohibited drugs in the last three months.

These seizures consist of 2.575 kilograms of Cocaine, 5.100 kilograms of Heroin, 6.615 kilograms of Methamphetamine, 73.440 kilograms of Ephedrine, 66.300 kilograms of Cannabis sativa and three abandoned seizures.

The arrests and seizures were recorded within the period of the implementation of the Federal Government’s Executive Order on ease of doing business, it was learnt.

Spokesman of NDLEA, Jonah Achema disclosed these yesterday, just as he denied allegations of extortion of passengers leveled against officers and men of the Lagos Airport Command in some quarters.

He clarified that despite the implementation of the Executive Order, which is now in place at the airport; and which bars baggage checked inside the airport terminal hall, the NDLEA has a mandate as stipulated in its Act to have operational presence at all entry and exit points, MMIA inclusive.

The spokesman also stressed that the agency would not shield any officer found wanting in its duty post, noting that the allegation that some officers extort passengers at the airport was not substantiated.

He said, “It must be noted that the agency has never and will never shield any officer found wanting if there is any established evidence of misconduct against such an officer and not on account of idle allegations as in this case.”

Achema added, “The agency, no doubt, sees the media as a critical stakeholder in the efforts to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking networks and ultimately defeat the criminal drug entrepreneurs.

It is through a mutually reinforcing relationship between the agency and the media that this laudable goal can be achieved.”