Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, has assured Nigerians that the war against drug trafficking in the country is total and uncompromising.

Giade gave the assurance while speaking on the arrest of a suspected drug baron, Idowu Lukman Soyege, popularly known as "Chicago".

According to the agency’s Principal Staff Officer, Media Relations, Ofoyeju Mitchell, the suspect was arrested recently at 1-3, Asafa Afariogun street, Ajao Estate, Lagos.

Giade advised the youth not to fall prey to heartless drug dealers seeking to ruin lives of innocent people.

The suspect allegedly met his waterloo when a 29-year-old Nigerian, Afolashade Adenrele Adebanjo, who resides at 39, Wendower Close, S.E.158 A.P. London, was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, during the outward clearance of Bellview Airline to London.

"Afolashade who was travelling with a Nigerian passport No. A1741880 and ticket No. 2084200563085, was referred to the agency's legal seat for x-ray which proved positive for drug ingestion. While she was on observation at the NDLEA office, she excreted 80 wraps of substances that proved positive for cocaine through a United Nations drug field test in three separate excretions with a total weight of 1.092 kilogrammes", Mitchell said.

He added that, based on revelation by Afolashade that the said drug was given to her by Soyege, a follow up operation was carried out at Aha Hotels, Plot 45, Karimu Kotun Street, Oyadiran Estate, Sabo Yaba, Lagos to effect his arrest.

He was said not to be available at the time of the operation, while the hotel belonging to him allegedly was sealed up pending the outcome of investigation.

"However, on April 5, the suspect appeared in person at the agency's office, where he volunteered his statement. Investigation has commenced to ascertain his assets. At present, about N4 million has been traced to him, while his hotel in Lagos is valued at about N16 million", he added.

Giade said the strategy of using Nigerians with resident permit in Europe, America and other countries, has since been uncovered by the agency.

He said the high level of success recorded in the case was made possible due to the agency's tenacity and perseverance to get to the last person in the chain of drug trafficking. He also added that investigation into the case has reached an advanced stage and that the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Drug Abuse is already a menace especially among our teeming youth population. Good move in the right direction. Kudos NDLEA