Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 22 blocks of heroin weighing 23.55kg concealed in packs of Nestle Cerelac baby food at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The consignment with a street value of over N4.5billion came from Johannesburg, South Africa, on board a South African Airways flight on June 29 as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport.

Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday that after series of follow-up operations that led to the arrest of two freight agents, the actual receiver of the drug consignment, Chike Okeke Eweni, who distributes the substance for his South Africa-based partner was arrested the following day, June 30 at a logistics warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja.

The statement reads: “Before the arrest of Chike, NDLEA officers at the airport had on Monday 27th June arrested a former driver with a public transport company, BRT, Muyiwa Babalola Bolujoko for ingesting 90 pellets of cocaine. He was arrested at the screening point before boarding a Qatar Airways flight enroute Doha to Sharjah, with his trip expected to terminate in Dubai, UAE.

“The 39-year-old from Ijebu South LGA, Ogun State, was placed under excretion observation after body scan result confirmed drug ingestion. While in custody, the suspect excreted all the 90 pellets in four excretions. He claimed he left his N60,000 per month job as BRT driver in February and decided to work as drug courier to raise funds to buy a shuttle bus popularly called ‘Korope’ in Lagos to continue his transport business.

“In Rivers State, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 29th June arrested a 68-year-old woman, Mrs. Celina Ekeke at Obunku community, Oyigbo LGA with 231.2kg cannabis, while one Shedrack Eze, was arrested the following day Thursday 30th June at Yankarfe, Zaria, Kaduna state with 250,000 tablets of Exol 5, weighing 75kg. In Borno state, Usman Haruna, 27, was arrested at BCG checkpoint in Biu on Saturday 2nd July with 19.7kg cannabis”.