The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) successfully prevented an attempt by 26-year-old nursing student Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine into India. Esther, a second-year student at Noida International University in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended at the Royal Park Hotel in Sabon Gari, Kano, just hours before her flight to Delhi on January 17, 2025.

The information was released in a statement by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, published on the agency’s website.

The statement read, “An attempt by 26-year-old Esther Onyinyechi Uzodinma, a 200-level nursing student at Noida International University, Uttar Pradesh, India, to swallow 76 wraps of cocaine hours before her return flight to the South Asian country through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, has been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“Esther was scheduled to return to Delhi, India, from MAKIA, Kano, on Qatar Airways flight 1432 on Friday, 17 January 2025, but was arrested in her hotel room at 11:30 pm on Thursday, 16 January, at Royal Park Hotel, Sabon Gari, Kano, while awaiting the cocaine consignment she was meant to ingest before her flight the following morning.”

The arrest followed a sting operation where courier Cosmas Okorie was caught transporting the cocaine, hidden inside an audio speaker.

The statement added, “Her operation was uncovered when NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi State on Thursday, 16 January, intercepted 31-year-old Cosmas Okorie in a commuter bus travelling from Lagos to Kano. Inside his black polythene bag was an audio speaker concealing 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.340 kilograms, which he intended to deliver to Esther in Kano.

“A swift follow-up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the female nursing student later the same day.”

In her confession, Esther claimed that the drug cartel she was working for had recruited her while she was in India and paid for her trip to Nigeria for the Christmas and New Year holidays. To keep her presence in Nigeria a secret from her parents, she stayed in a hotel in Enugu for two weeks before traveling to Abuja and then to Kano. She was staying at the Royal Park Hotel, where she was instructed to ingest the 76 pellets of cocaine sent from Lagos before catching her flight to India.

Esther stated she was promised over $5,000 for successfully delivering the illicit drugs.

Moreover, NDLEA officers arrested four individuals along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Highway for transporting over 38,000 tramadol pills hidden in audio speakers and clothing, with destinations including Maiduguri, Kano, and Abuja.

The statement said, “In other operations along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Highway, NDLEA officers arrested four suspects: Abdullahi Umar, Tijjani Samaila, Lucky Obotte, and Abubakar Haruna, who were travelling to Maiduguri, Borno State, Kano, and Abuja in commuter vehicles with over 38,000 pills of tramadol (225mg, 250mg, and 100mg) concealed in audio speakers and clothing.”

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives conducted multiple raids, resulting in several arrests and the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs. One raid in Ojodu-Berger uncovered 10 parcels of Canadian Loud cannabis (4.9kg) and packaging materials with street names such as “Dead Man” and “Gelato Cake.”

In Igando, three individuals were arrested with 1,610kg of cannabis, 6kg of tramadol, and vehicles used for drug distribution.

Another operation in Lekki led to the recovery of 28kg of Canadian Loud, and other raids in Lagos Island and parts of Lekki resulted in the seizure of 67kg of cannabis, codeine syrup, tramadol, Molly, methamphetamine, and ₦623,650 in cash.

The statement continued, “In Lagos, operatives of a special operations unit of the agency on Tuesday, 14 January, raided the hideout of a 59-year-old, Nwokedi Emeka Jonas, in the Ojodu-Berger area of the state, where they recovered 10 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 4.9kg, as well as different paper bags he used for dispensing the psychoactive substance in retail quantities. Printed on the bags were street names and codes such as ‘Dead Man’, ‘Gelato Top Shelf Smoke’, ‘Topshelf’, and ‘Gelato Cake’.

“In other operations in Lagos, operatives of the State Command of the Agency on Wednesday, 15 January, raided a house in Igando New Town, Alimosho, where they arrested three suspects: Isaac Vincent (32), Ebube Ikechi (25), and Christopher Usifoh (43). They recovered 1,610kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 6kg of tramadol pills. Also recovered from the house were a delivery van and three vehicles used for distributing the illicit drugs.

“Two suspects, Olashile Okoya and Mohammed Ibrahim, were arrested on Saturday, 18 January, when NDLEA officers raided their home at 5A Addison Palmer, Cadogan Estate, Castle Rock Avenue, Osapa, Lekki, Lagos, where 28kg of Canadian Loud was recovered following credible intelligence.

“Not less than 67kg of skunk was seized from Saheed Sulaiman on Thursday, 16 January, when NDLEA operatives raided his Edumare Street, Lagos Island hideout. Various quantities of assorted illicit substances were also recovered from Adamu Abdullahi on Tuesday, 14 January, when NDLEA officers raided his hideout at Jerry Irabi Estate, Lekki. These included 3.7 litres of codeine syrup, 10,000 pills of tramadol, 1,670 tablets of Rohypnol, 6.5kg of cannabis, 3,100 tablets of diazepam, 10,090 tablets of Molly, 5,500 tablets of Exol-5, 1.2kg of methamphetamine crisps, and ₦623,650 in cash.”

In Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested two individuals in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area with 7.6kg of skunk, 78 tubes of rubber solution, and 356 bottles of the psychoactive substance “Suck and Die.” Another operation along Zaria Road led to the arrest of a suspect with 114 blocks of skunk weighing 49.8kg.

The statement added, “In Kano, two suspects, Usama Adamu (25) and Isah Ibrahim (29), were arrested on Friday, 17 January, at Dawanau, Dawakin Tofa LGA, where 7.6kg of skunk, 78 tubes of rubber solution, and 356 bottles of ‘Suck and Die’, a new psychoactive substance, were recovered. In another raid in Kano, Usman Isa (29) was nabbed along Zaria Road with 114 blocks of skunk weighing 49.8kg.”

In Kwara, NDLEA operatives arrested three individuals in Bode Saadu with 390 Molly tablets and 65.5kg of cannabis, while in Taraba, a suspect was apprehended transporting 25,000 tramadol pills along the Wukari-Zaki Ibiam Road.

The statement concluded: “Three suspects, Lawali Isiaka, Umoru Isiaka, and Mohammed Kabiru, were arrested on Wednesday, 15 January, by NDLEA operatives with 390 tablets of Molly and 65.5kg of cannabis at Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State. Meanwhile, Samuel Ogbu (24) was nabbed with 25,000 pills of tramadol along Wukari-Zaki Ibiam Road, Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State.”