A 52-year-old businessman, Okeke Anayochukwu, was apprehended on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with black liquid cocaine.

Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, in a statement, explained that the suspect was arrested on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, onboard a Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil, through Doha, Qatar, to Abuja.

According to him, “Okeke was arrested with 20.75 kilogrammes of black liquid cocaine on Tuesday, March 15, upon his arrival at the Abuja airport, onboard a Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil, through Doha, Qatar, to Abuja.”

He explained that the liquid was discovered upon search of his two luggages, stuffed with six smaller bags containing 32 make-up mascara, which tested positive for cocaine.

The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, stated that Mr Okeke is married with four children, an indigene of Oraifite in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He explained that the suspect claimed he was a businessman dealing in children wares before delving into the illicit drug business.

He added that he (Okeke) met the person who gave him the consignment to deliver in Nigeria for a fee of N2m at a drinking joint in Brazil.

The statement explained that in other operations carried out by NDLEA across the country, different quantities of drugs were recovered from suspects.

It said that three persons, Tony Samson, Paul Adamu and Reuben Waziri, were arrested in Kaduna on Friday, March 18, with 18,380 tablets of tramadol, and 12,500 tablets of diazepam and exol-5 tablets.

In Anambra, it added that NDLEA operatives on Thursday, March 17, intercepted a bus at Obosi bridge heading for Aba, Abia State, from Onitsha.

The statement noted that upon a search, seven and a half jumbo sacks of cannabis weighing 362kg were recovered, while the driver, Ifeanyi Anyamele, admitted to being the owner of the drug exhibits.

According to the statement, the Chairman and Chief Executive of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd), enjoined NDLEA personnel to remain steps ahead of the tricks of drug traffickers and barons.