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NDLEA Arrests Nursing Student for Cocaine Smuggling and Uncovers Drug Cartel Operations...TAP TO READ THE FULL CONTENT | TAP TO READ THE FULL CONTENT
The NDLEA arrested Esther Uzodinma, a nursing student, for attempting to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine to India. The operation uncovered a drug cartel connection and resulted in additional seizures of illicit drugs across Nigeria. NDLEA praised its officers’ vigilance and continues its War Against Drug Abuse through advocacy nationwide.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disrupted a smuggling operation involving a 26-year-old nursing student, Esther Uzodinma. The student, enrolled at Noida International University in India, was apprehended in Kano while allegedly preparing to transport 76 wraps of cocaine to India.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Uzodinma was arrested at a hotel in Sabon Gari, Kano, as she awaited the delivery of the drugs she planned to ingest before boarding a flight to India. The arrest followed an earlier operation on the Okene-Lokoja highway, where operatives intercepted Cosmas Okorie, who was carrying 1.34 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside an audio speaker.
Investigations revealed that Uzodinma was recruited by a drug cartel based in India, which sponsored her trip to Nigeria for the holidays. She deliberately avoided visiting her family in Imo State, staying in various hotels across Enugu, Abuja, and Kano to avoid detection. The cartel promised her $5,000 for successfully delivering the drugs.
In separate operations, NDLEA officers seized large quantities of illegal substances, including tramadol and cannabis, during highway checks and raids in Lagos and other locations. Several suspects were taken into custody as part of the agency’s ongoing crackdown.
