Couple Arrested with Over 412kg of Illicit Drugs in Edo, Husband Blames Poverty

A husband and wife have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Benin City, Edo State, over their alleged involvement in illicit drug trafficking, following a raid that led to the seizure of more than 412 kilogrammes of cannabis.

The suspects, identified as 32-year-old Christian Chukwuka and his 33-year-old wife, Nwanneka Christian, both natives of Ndokwa in Delta State, were apprehended after NDLEA operatives stormed their warehouse along Sapele Road.

The operation followed intelligence reports linking the premises to suspected drug trafficking activities.

Speaking on the development, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Dr Mitchell Ofoyeju, said officers recovered 22 bags of skunk cannabis weighing 219.5 kilogrammes, alongside compressed blocks of Canadian Loud, a highly potent synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 192.67 kilogrammes.

The combined haul amounted to more than 412 kilogrammes.

Ofoyeju described the seizure as a significant breakthrough in the agency’s sustained campaign against illicit drug trafficking, warning that the growing circulation of illegal drugs poses a serious threat to communities across the state.

During interrogation, Chukwuka allegedly admitted his involvement in the illicit trade, claiming that prolonged unemployment and worsening financial hardship pushed him into drug trafficking.

According to him, he trained as a truck driver after completing secondary school but was unable to secure stable employment. He said a friend later introduced him to the illegal business, which he turned to in an effort to support his family.

The suspect also revealed that the burden of providing for his wife and their twin children influenced his decision. He appealed for leniency, expressing remorse and promising to abandon the illicit trade if given another opportunity.

The NDLEA said the couple would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.