The Sokoto State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 35-year old trans-border drug trafficker, Nkem Timothy, popularly known as Auwalu Audu.

The acting State Commander of NDLEA in the state, Bamidele Segun, said the suspect was intercepted on a motorcycle around the Baggage area at Illela border, while trying to cross to the Niger Republic but his final destination was Algeria, where he resides.

Segun said luck ran out of Timothy while trying to cross to Algeria through the Niger Republic with 62 wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine weighing 1.550kg, which has an estimated street value of about N1 billion.

He said the illicit drug was neatly concealed in yoghurt bottles.

“He was found with an ECOWAS passport with a name written as Auwalu Audu, but he gave his real name as Nkem Timothy,” the acting Commander stated, adding that his men had commenced further investigation to unravel his sponsor and other members of the drug cartel.

“This is a ground-breaking feat for us in the command, as the seizure of this magnitude of Type A drug (cocaine) has never been made in Sokoto Command before,” he added.