NDLEA Cracks Down on Drug Trafficking, Arrests Two Kingpins at Lagos and Port Harcourt Airports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended two drug traffickers attempting to smuggle heroin into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) in Rivers State. The suspects, who excreted a combined 125 wraps of heroin, were arrested on February 1st and 2nd, 2025, respectively

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Onyekwonike Elochuckwu Sylvanus, 30, also known as Kargbo Mohamed Foday (using a Sierra Leonean passport), was arrested at Port Harcourt airport upon arrival from Doha via Abuja on a Qatar Airways flight. A body scan confirmed ingested drugs, and he subsequently expelled 62 wraps of heroin weighing 1.348 kilograms. Investigations revealed Sylvanus had been involved in drug trafficking across Thailand, Pakistan, Iran, and West Africa since 2017, after his clothing and shoe business failed.   

The second suspect, James Herbert Chinoso, 48, was apprehended at the Lagos airport after arriving from Madagascar via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. He excreted 63 wraps of heroin totaling 909 grams. Chinoso had traveled to Madagascar on January 26th and returned a week later. He admitted to turning to drug trafficking after his phone accessories business in Liberia collapsed.   

In addition to these arrests, the NDLEA also reported several other drug-related seizures and arrests:

• Lagos: Two parcels of "Loud" (2.82 kg of synthetic cannabis) imported from the US, and 80 ampoules of pentazocine injection (225 grams) bound for Canada were intercepted at courier firms.   
• Kano: Usaini Salisu and Yahaya Mu’azu (both 23) were arrested on February 3rd with 15,396 tramadol pills hidden in a gas cylinder. Also on February 3rd, Chioma Okeke, 35, was caught with 27 blocks of skunk cannabis (15 kg).
• Kogi State: On February 8th, Salisu Basiru, 33, was arrested with 12,800 tramadol pills destined for Jigawa State. At the same checkpoint, Rufai Hassan, 32, was caught with 65 parcels of "Colorado" (1.6 kg of synthetic cannabis), also en route to Jigawa.

This information was released in a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy.