A 36-year-old lady, Chioma Afam, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Benue State along with her partner, Peace Caleb, 22.
Afam, who used multiple identities and wore hijab to evade security scrutiny, was said to have been arrested with her accomplice while trying to smuggle 296,000 tablets of Diazepam and Exol-5 from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Gombe State.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said, “Chioma (Afam), who uses multiple names such as Amina, Uzoamaka and Ifunaya to cover her criminal activities, was arrested on Saturday, July 17, 2021, along with the 22-year-old Peace Chidinma Caleb, who also wears hijab as a cover for her nefarious activities during routine checks and profiling of inward vehicles into Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
“Their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra State, was intercepted along the Makurdi-Alliade Road while heading for Gombe State via Makurdi.
“A search of their vehicle led to the discovery of 43 kilograms of Diazepam and 33kg of Exol-5, both weighing 76 kilograms with a total of 296,000 tablets packed in four large Ghana-must-go bags.
“Curiously, the two interstate drug traffickers have rebuffed efforts to take pictures with the exhibits without wearing their hijab.”
In a related development, the Ondo State command of the NDLEA on Sunday, July 18, 2021, intercepted a commercial motorcycle rider, Olu Ameh, with 465kg of cannabis sativa on Ijagba-Ute Road in the Ose Local Government Area of the state.
According to the NDLEA, the illicit substance was bought from one Joseph in Ago-Akure, Akure North LGA and was being conveyed to the buyer, one Egbonwon at Ijagba village in Ose LGA. ,,
