By Emmanuel Dominic 
Attempted Drug Smuggling to Mecca: Nigerian Pilgrims Busted by NDLEA
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently intercepted an attempt by four Nigerian pilgrims to smuggle cocaine into Saudi Arabia under the guise of performing the Hajj pilgrimage. On June 5, 2024, NDLEA operatives raided Emerald Hotel in the Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos, where the suspects were lodging. The individuals—Usman Kamorudeen (31), Olasunkanmi Owolabi (46), Fatai Yekini (38), and Ayinla Kemi (34)—were caught in the act of ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land. The operatives discovered that the suspects had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine, weighing a total of 2.20 kilograms, to swallow before boarding their flight. Each of the two rooms they occupied contained 100 wraps of the Class A substance. Two of the suspects had ingested 100 wraps each.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the Lagos State Command for their intelligence-led operation and emphasized the agency’s commitment to preventing the misuse of the Hajj season by criminal networks to traffic illicit drugs across borders. He also stated that the NDLEA would collaborate with Saudi Arabian authorities to trace and apprehend recipients of seized drug consignments within the country.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in combating drug trafficking, particularly during significant events like the Hajj pilgrimage.
