NDLEA Arrests Thailand Returnee With N3.1bn Heroine

Oguejiofor Simonpeter, a returnee from Thailand, was detained by agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for importing 13.30 kg of heroin valued more than N3.192 billion.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, stated in a statement that Oguejiofor was detained on October 7, 2024, while trying to transport drugs out of the airport.

The drugs were hidden in six backpacks, which were subsequently placed into two large suitcases.

Babafemi claims that on October 3, the suspect boarded a Qatar Airways flight out of Thailand and made a two-day stay in Doha before continuing on to Lagos, with his luggage being sent to his original destination of Accra, Ghana.

He got in touch with the airline after landing in Lagos on October 5 to have his baggage rerouted to Nigeria, where he could pick them up as rush bags in order to avoid security inspections. However, he was stopped at the departure by NDLEA personnel.

“A search of his two suitcases revealed three empty backpacks in each box with a large parcel of heroin neatly sewn to all six backpacks. The six parcels were subsequently recovered with a gross weight of 13.30kg,” the statement read.

According to Babafemi, Oguejiofor claimed to have received a $7,000 offer to carry the drugs to Ghana and Nigeria.

“In his statement, Oguejiofor claimed he was hired for a fee of $7,000 upon successful delivery of the parcels. He said he was to deliver two parcels in Lagos and the other four parcels in Accra, Ghana.” Babafemi said.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli