Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a pastor and his wife after recovering 11 kilograms of skunk concealed in their vehicle at the Seme border in Lagos State.

The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, identifying the suspects as Afolabi Hodonu, 45, a pastor with the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach in Badagry, and his wife, Success, 35.

According to Babafemi, the couple was apprehended on April 2 at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Seme border while travelling in a Honda Pilot SUV.

A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the illicit substance hidden in specially constructed compartments.

He explained that the arrest followed earlier intelligence gathered from the interception of another suspect, Sunday Samuel, 35, who was posing as a security agent.

Samuel was arrested on March 30 at the same checkpoint while allegedly transporting 24.5kg of skunk from the Seme border to Lagos.

In a related development, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives have dismantled a drug trafficking network involved in exporting cocaine to the United Kingdom.

The operation began on March 11 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where officers intercepted 3.10kg of cocaine concealed in tins of palm kernel extract intended for shipment to the UK. Two suspects linked to the consignment, Idris Amoo and Akinlami Adedoyin, were arrested at the airport.

Further investigations led to the arrest of the alleged sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who was said to be operating under a false identity. His arrest subsequently exposed the syndicate’s leader, King Arinze, 52, who was tracked to a hideout in Isolo, Lagos.

NDLEA operatives later raided a warehouse linked to Arinze at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo, where they recovered 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for concealing drugs, along with industrial equipment including a sealing machine, tin openers, paint sprays, 52 grams of cannabis sativa, and a pack of hand gloves.

Babafemi said Arinze has confessed to personally emptying the palm kernel oil from the tins to hide cocaine for export.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation in Borno State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 28-year-old suspect, Aisha Adamu, along the Gamboru-Ngala road. She was allegedly involved in supplying drugs to bandit groups operating between Nigeria’s North-East and neighbouring Chad.

The agency said 4.3kg of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, was recovered from her. (Weekend Trust)

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