NDLEA: Marwa Drug War Makes Live Uncomfortable For The Agents And Their Sponsors In Brazil And Other High Risk Countries

By Elizabeth Chukwuma

When Buba Marwa, a retired Brigadier General and  former Nigerian Ambassador, in South African, gave his words on assumption of duties last January as the Chairman and Chief executive officer, CEO, of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, there is no hiding place  for the drug barons, they may have laughed at him.

This is because there had been similar  promises in the past by the agency past Chairmen and CEOs  to  deal ruthlessly with the drug pedllers if they fail stop the illegal business but that was how far they could go. The drug  barons may have penetrated the ranks of the NDLEA  and  other security operatives who gave them cover in the business at the seaports, airports  and Land borders.

Marwa: NDLEA Chairman/CEO: Hard On Drug Barrons

Mawa , may have known that the only way to win the drug is to give the staff strong leadership and lead by example. It was not surprising that when he  first met with the Commanders in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,  he had asked them to make the country drug-free by going after the drug peddlers by blocking all the different  channels of bringing the illicit  drugs into the country. They may have seen  it as a challenge and were determined to play along with him to win the drug war both on land, airports and seaports without Compromise.

The NDLEA Commanders in their various locations may have gone back to the drawing board with their Team members in their various locations to  restrategise on how to prosecute the drug war  this time around and achieve results that would surprise many.  The multi-million worth of Cocain  and Indian Hemp, that had been intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos , and Nassarawa respectively speaks volume.

”40” Container Shipped From Brazil With 40 Parcels Of Cocain

The seizure of these illicit drugs at the MMIA and Nassarawa state may have forced the other NDLA Commanders to be on the alert to ensure the drug smugglers who may want to resort to the use of the Lagos ports of Apapa, Tincan Island, Port Multi-services terminal Ltd, PTML, did not escape. Acting on Intelligence, recently, the Marwa boys at the Tin-Can Island port, described as one of the modern  ports in Nigeria,  had intercepted and seized 40 parcels  of cocain weighing 43.11Kg  worth over N32 billion at the Lagos Tin-can Island port,  the highest to be made by the agency in the last five years. This is an indication that there is no hiding place for the drug peddlers  as  the war gets tougher by the day.

Jonah Achema, a Principal Staff officer , PSO, and the agency spokesperson had said that the Consignment  which was intercepted by the NDLEA Operatives at the port had been put under surveillance  for some days  until two clearing agents  showed up on Monday, February 8, 2021,  to process the importer’s bill of laden at the port in the other to take delivery of the Consignment.

Given an insider information,  Sumaila Ethan, the NDLEA, port Commander disclosed that the two  Clearing agents who may not have known that the game is up were optimistic of taking  delivery of the  40 parcels of cocain  as the Collaborators at the port  may have assured them that there was no cause for alarm.

Unknown to them, the NDLEA, Operatives who had kept surveillance over the  Consignment based on information were lying in wait for them. The duo were said to have been promptly arrested and the Consignment which was brought  into the country from the North American country of Brazil on Board  a vessel  marked MV SPAR SCORPIO, was said to have been properly searched.

An eyewitness account  disclosed that it was after the search on the Brazilian vessel that the 40 compressed  parcels of Cocain  were found. It was said to have  been  taken to the agency laboratory for test to confirm that it was actually an illicit drug. The source confirmed that after the  Laboratory test which  established  that it was cocain  that it was finally seized.  

Parcels Of Compressed cocain seized At Tin-can Island Port, Lagos

From all indications, it appears that Ikechukwu Eze, the Nigerian drug baron  based in Brazil that had been instrumental  in sending the illicit drugs to Nigeria by air and through seaports.  Perhaps, his next move  now would be to ship the Consignment through the Autonomous port of Cotonou, or Bollore ports in Benin and smuggle it into the country through inappropriate routes now the airports and seaports are no longer  for the illegal business.

 As at press time, the two arrested Clearing agents who had showed up at the port to clear the Consignment were still in NDLEA custody.  Marwa, the NDLEA boss, had said that multi-million naira worth of cocain seized at the Tin can Island port,   was  a manifestation  of the agency’s renewed war on drug peddlers and their sponsors.

Many believe that the agency Commanders at the airports, seaports and land borders are leaving no stone upturned  to  make the country drug-free  because of the strong leadership that has been provided by the retired army Brigadier General  who is giving the NDLEA Operatives  guidance all through their operations. This appears to have made live uncomfortable for the drug syndicate agents and their sponsors in Brazil and many other countries in the drug business, particular, in North and South American Continents.

While briefing the Mdia on the  drug seizure at his Ikoyi office, Ethan, the Port Commander, had   who could not hide his feelings   said that  the Tin-can Island port  Cocain seizure’’ is coming on the heels  of similar seizures  at the MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, , FCT, Edo, Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari home state,  Nassarawa and Benue states  Commands in the last three weeks.

An insider told The Value News that  Customs Operatives at the tin-can Island port  played a major role in the discovery of the drugs in the Container that  was discharged at the port on Board the Brazilian vessel.

The Tin-can Island drug seizure may have forced Marwa, the NDLEA  boss,  to charge the  agency Commanders and their Team members across the country to be on the red alert to frustrate these drug syndicates. In an emotional outburst, Marwa had assured the agency operatives,  that the Management will  will  continue to do their best   to motivate  them to do  their job , urging them ‘’to  show full commitment discipline, and  , dedication  to work ’’.

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