NDLEA TIGHTENS GRIP ON PORT HARCOURT AIRPORT, NABS COCAINE TRAFFICKER HEADED TO IRAN

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By Aishat Momoh.O.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its anti-drug operations at the Port Harcourt International Airport, making the route increasingly inaccessible for drug traffickers.

Commander of the NDLEA at the airport, Mr. Nathaniel Negedu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stressing that the agency’s ongoing crackdown has yielded significant results through upgraded operations, better equipment, inter-agency collaboration, and continuous staff retraining.

“Since my assumption of duty at the airport in 2023, we’ve prioritized operational excellence and made the airport unsafe for drug traffickers. Many arrests have been made, with some suspects already serving jail terms, while others await trial,” Negedu said.

He cited the recent arrest of a 44-year-old suspect, Mr. Christian Ezemokwe, who was intercepted with 53 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.172 kilograms. Ezemokwe was apprehended during a routine passenger screening while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Iran.

Negedu noted that the arrest was part of the agency’s broader crackdown aimed at dismantling trafficking networks and raising awareness on drug abuse in communities surrounding the airport. The command has launched sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, and public spaces to educate residents on the dangers of substance abuse.

He credited the successes to the leadership of NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Rtd), describing him as a visionary committed to a drug-free Nigeria.

“Substance abuse is the oxygen that fuels organised crime from cultism and rape to terrorism and kidnapping. We are tackling the problem from both enforcement and preventive angles,” Negedu added.

As part of activities marking the June 26 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the NDLEA is promoting the global theme: “The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention, Break the Circle, Stop Organised Crime.”

Speaking after his arrest, Ezemokwe, a father of three from Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, admitted to being involved in the illicit trade for two years. Formerly a second-hand electronics dealer, he said economic hardship drove him into drug trafficking.

“This was my third trip, but I was caught. I regret my actions this is a crime against my country and its dignity,” he confessed.

The NDLEA says the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.