In a video shared online by the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Bright Edafe, Thankgod said the deceased had attacked his mum and had beaten her to the point she fainted. He said he got angry about this development and decided to carry out a reprisal attack. Thankgod said that four days after the assault on his mum he accosted Ogbonna and engaged him in a fight. He said Nwodo injured him and that some persons in the area separated them and asked him to forgive the old man.
Dissatisfied that he had not taken his own pound of flesh, ThankGod said that four days after, he spotted Ogbonna in the bush and used a machete on him. The machete injury sadly led to Ogbonna’s death. He said he never knew the fight would lead to the man’s death. “I go fight am (the man) as I see my mama for floor. The man use small knife cut me for hand. So them tell me to forgive the man I should leave him because he is an old man. I saw the man four days later. After I cut the man’s hand, he just jumped down from his bike and ran inside the cassava bush.”
by Voice TV Nigeria from 0:12, Muyiwa disclosed that Shehu, who resides in Kogi State with his family, engages in criminal operations across multiple states, including Kano, Katsina, Niger, and Kaduna. Muyiwa mentioned that he believes Shehu holds some level of “spiritual powers”. He applauded the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for their determination in apprehending Shehu.
government’s reach, and criminals involved in unlawful activities, regardless of their supernatural protection, will eventually be brought to justice.
In Muyiwa’s words: “This man is very powerful, I think he has some spiritual powers. I want to give kudos to the spiritual operatives of IRT for going after a spiritual criminal to get him for us. It is not easy. So gentlemen of the press, this is Ibrahim Shehu. Unfortunately he is from Kogi State and he is doing evils in Kogi State. This man resides in Kogi with his family but he goes as far as Kano, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna to operate. He is small but mighty. Shehu Ibrahim aka Small But Mighty. This is him, we have gotten him and this is a warning to anyone outside there venturing into criminal activities, no matter how powerful you are, no matter the juju or voodoo you have, you cannot be more powerful than the government. We will surely get you”.
woke up yesterday to a shock and disbelief on hearing that a 33-year-old Comfort Olalere Tinubu, had stabbed her husband, Olusegun Tinubu, 39, to death on Wednesday night around 10pm.It was gathered that the couple who got married about three years ago had two children from the marriage.The matter which stem from an argument on the wife locking the husband out of the bedroom later resulted in fight which saw the wife stabbing the husband at the back.
The source who pleaded anonymity, said: “I got the call around 10:03pm and I learnt that they fought and she stabbed him but that he was rushed to the hospital. About 30mins later, I was called again that my younger brother is dead.“When we reported the matter at the police station, she was asked what happened; she said her late husband accused her of locking the matrimonial bedroom door since around 7am when she left the house and returning about 7pm.
“She said the matter led to argument between them but that fight started when the late husband came to slap her where she laid down breastfeeding their baby.”
According to the source, another relative of the husband who is living with the couple was said to have interfere in the fight and separated them.The relative, was said to be staying with the couple because he was receiving medical treatment“After settling the fight, he went back to his room asking the husband to sleep in the living room. But, not done it was gathered that Comfort went to attack the husband where he was lying down in the sitting room and stabbed him at the back with the knife. The husband was said to have screamed for help and slumped and later confirmed dead by the time he got to the hospital.
The matter was initially reported at Gbagi Police station but the case was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan,” he narrated.
At least 16 people have been abducted in a recent attack on Bena village and nearby communities in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.Lawali Umar, Secretary of the Security Committee in Wasagu, confirmed the incident, stating that the bandits ambushed victims working on guinea corn farms and took them captive.
“In another recent attack, the bandits stormed Tudun Wada, abducting six individuals,” Umar revealed.However, soldiers swiftly responded, engaging the attackers in a gunfight, which led to the rescue of the six kidnapped persons.While some of the initial 16 abductees managed to escape, about nine individuals remain in captivity, with the kidnappers demanding an undisclosed ransom.
Umar appealed to the Kebbi State Government to strengthen security in high-risk areas, including Yar Maitaba, Mai Rai Rai, and Tungar Sabo, which he described as hideouts frequently used by the assailants.“We commend the state government’s efforts against banditry, but with the guinea corn harvest season upon us, our farmers need better security,” Umar urged.Efforts to reach the Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, Nafiu Abubakar, for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Professor Oguejiofo Ujam, Dean of the School of General Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has successfully escaped from kidnappers during a police operation.The development was confirmed by the Enugu State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, in an official statement.According to Ndukwe, operatives from the Unity Police Division disrupted a kidnapping attempt around the Neke-Uno section of the Enugu/Opi/Nsukka Road on Monday, October 28, 2024, at approximately 7:10 p.m.During the rescue effort, Prof. Ujam managed to break free from his abductors.Ndukwe further reported that following an intense gunfight, the kidnappers fled, leaving behind an AK-47 rifle, two magazines loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition, and a belt with 39 live rounds.“Further operations to hunt down the fleeing suspects the same night led to a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, reportedly kidnapped on October 26, 2024, escaping from his abductors’ custody,” the statement read.The police also addressed rumors circulating online, clarifying that no Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer traveling from Benue State was abducted along the route.“The Command refutes viral reports alleging the kidnapping of a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer traveling from Benue State along this route, clarifying that no such incident has been recorded anywhere in Enugu State,” Ndukwe emphasized.He dismissed claims that the Enugu/Opi/Nsukka Road is unsafe, describing such reports as “scaremongering.”Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the deployment of additional personnel to reinforce “overt and covert operations” along the affected route, ensuring the safety of travelers.
A two-time former councillor, Ndubisi Okechhukwu, who represented Emu-Uno in the Kwale Local Government Area of Delta State, has been arrested by police operatives, following a foiled kidnapping attempt.This was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe; a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent in Warri, on Sunday.The police spokesman noted that the councillor’s arrest followed credible intelligence received by the Divisional Police Officer, Abbi Division, Florence Onum, noting that “there was a plan to kidnap a prominent member of Abbi community.”“Acting on this intelligence, the DPO, Kwale, and operatives of the division, embarked on a discreet investigation, and on October 21, 2024, at about 1900hrs, one Hon. Ndubisi Okechhukwu, a two-times councillor in Emu-Uno, Kwale, was arrested,” the statement read partly.
On interrogation, the suspect was said to have confessed to the incident which he reportedly anchored on his “suspension from being a councillor.“He further stated that he wanted to kidnap the said woman so that the Local Government would pay the ransom since he knew the woman was close to the local government chairman.”Meanwhile, the suspect is in custody as investigation is ongoing on the matter.In a similar development, acting on credible intelligence gathered on the activities of a suspected kidnapper, one Philip Onoghosa, the gang leader of a kidnapping syndicate terrorising the Sapele-Warri Road, the operatives of CP-Special Assignment Team, on October 25, 2024, at about 1730hrs, went on the trail of the said suspect in Sapele town.According to the PPRO, the suspect who was at Amukpe Roundabout buying illicit drugs sighted the operatives and took to his heel, abandoning one Black Toyota Corolla with Registration Number SKL330AE.
Upon search of the vehicle, one Baretta pistol loaded with two live ammunition was recovered. The police noted that a manhunt for the fleeing suspect is ongoing.“Also, on October 22, 2024, at about 1700hrs, the Safer Highway Patrol Team deployed to Sapele, while conducting an intensive stop-and-search along the Mosogar Benin Road, flagged down a Toyota RAV4 SUV, black with Reg. No. KUJ-311-MB.“The driver, before getting to the checkpoint, manoeuvred the vehicle and sped off while the police operatives immediately went after him. The suspect, on noticing that the policemen were closing in on him, abandoned the vehicle and fled into a nearby bush.“The vehicle was recovered and upon search of the vehicle, the vehicle particulars bearing the name and contact of the owner were found.
The owner who was immediately contacted stated that the vehicle was stolen from his compound in Kogi State. Two metal master keys and 14 different Toyota vehicle keys were recovered,” the statement noted, adding that investigations have been launched into the matter.In the meantime, the state Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, has reiterated “the command’s commitment to ensure that crime in the state is reduced so that residents and Deltans can sleep with their eyes closed.”The CP further stated that “due to the Ember months period, there may be a likely increase in crime. Hence, policemen have been deployed around the 25 local government areas and embarked on intensive visibility patrol, while constant raiding of criminal hideouts and black spots will be intensified.”
Recovers 2,760kg illicit consignments in Lagos shrine, underground storage in Lekki
By Ebinum Samuel
Consignments of opioids concealed in soles of shoes and hair attachments heading to the United States, United Kingdom and Cyprus have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos and three courier companies in the state.
A total of 2,118 pills of tramadol concealed in soles of 13 pairs of shoes going to Cyprus were seized at the export shed of the Lagos airport on 12th October 2024 and additional 380 tablets recovered from the home of the sender, Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna during a follow up operation in Enugu on Thursday 24th October. A cash of N968,880 and a Toyota Avalon car marked UWN 389 AS, were also recovered from the suspect at the time of his arrest. Not less than 293 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine injection as well as 1.690kg cannabis and tramadol tablets concealed in hair attachments and soles of shoes going to the United States, United Kingdom and Oman were intercepted at three courier firms by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, in Lagos on Thursday 24th October. In the same vein, a total of Twenty Six Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand (26,250,000) pills of tramadol as well as Five Hundred and Eight Thousand Four Hundred (508,400) bottles of codeine based syrup worth Sixteen Billion Six Hundred and Eighty Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N16, 683, 800,000) in street value were intercepted by NDLEA operatives during 100 percent joint examination of watch-listed containers with men of Customs Service and other security agencies at the Tincan port in Lagos and Port Harcourt port, Onne, Rivers state between Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd October.
Other illicit consignments intercepted during the joint inspection of the containers include 10 million tablets of Toradol Benzhexol and 28 plastic drums of methamphetamine weighing 700kg at Tincan and Onne respectively, while 56 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 28kg were also recovered from a container that arrived the Lagos port from Canada. A suspect, Tsolaye Eburajolo, 40, was arrested at Ago Palace area of Okota Lagos in connection with the cannabis seizure while a bribe of N10million paid NDLEA officers to free the suspect has been kept as part of the exhibits for the prosecution of the case. Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Friday 25th October raided the Igbo – Igunuko shrine, located at the Alfa Beach, Ajah, where jumbo bags of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 2,760kg were recovered and two suspects: Gbenga Abiodun and Sunday Abiodun arrested.
Another suspect, Ademola Oyelakin was also arrested same day with 770kg of the same psychoactive substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway. A total of 11,786 pills of tramadol, molly, rohypnol and diazepam as well as 64 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered from the underground storage a suspect, Muhammad Warnos Abdullahi dug in his bedroom at Marwa Coastal road, Lekki Phase 1 Lagos when NDLEA officers raided his home on Friday 25th October. The suspect dug the illicit drug storage deep in his room, covered it with padlocked iron slate, a rug and then put his mattress on top to avoid detection. In Plateau, a suspect Fadan Bindom, 39, was arrested at Pilgani village in possession of 65.85kg cannabis and 18 grams of tramadol, while another suspect Sunday Agbata, 42, was nabbed at Pavwei – Rayfield Jos South LGA with 5,830 tablets and ampoules of bromazepam, diazepam and pentazocine injection on Wednesday 23rd October.
A major distributor of illicit drugs in FCT Abuja, Umar Muhammed, 40, was on Monday 21st October nabbed following the earlier seizure of a consignment of 198.5kg cannabis linked to him at Wuse market park. In Edo state, NDLEA operatives recovered 640kg cannabis concealed in 80 jumbo bags of fresh vegetables at Ewu junction, Irrua, Esan Central LGA and arrested a suspect, Austin Oruamen, 27, while another suspect Adereti Kazeem, 35, was nabbed with 200 blocks of cannabis weighing 133kg at Obalayan, Ile-Ife, Osun state on Thursday 24th October. With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Government Girls Secondary School, Tambuwal, Sokoto; St. Mary College, Awka, Anambra state; Prime Rose Model Private College, Saki, Oyo state; Community Model Arabic College, Malumfashi, Katsina state; Community Junior Secondary School, Rumuomasi, Rivers state; and WADA advocacy lecture to Rugar Alhaji Manu Unguwan Sullubawa, Gombi, Adamawa state, among others. While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Tincan, PHPC, Lagos, FCT, Osun, Plateau and Edo Commands of the Agency as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
As NDLEA intercepts N22.7billion worth of opioids at Lekki, Apapa, Onne seaports
By Ebinum Samuel
In a fresh wave of interdiction operations targeting transnational drug cartels, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos have arrested a Thailand returnee Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter for importing 13.30 kilograms of heroin worth over N3.192billion just as their counterparts at three seaports intercepted large consignments of opioids with a combined monetary value of Twenty Two Billion Seven Hundred and Forty Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand Naira (N22,740,958,000).
Oguejiofor was arrested on Monday 7th October 2024 while attempting to smuggle out of the airport the illicit drug concealed in six backpacks and then packed into two big suitcases. The 29-year-old graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra state, had left Thailand on 3rd October on Qatar Airways flight and stopped over in Doha where he spent two days before heading to Lagos while his luggage was routed to Accra, Ghana, his original destination.
After arriving Lagos on the 5th October, he contacted the airline to reroute his luggage to Nigeria so that he can pick them up as rush bags in a bit to beat security checks. However, NDLEA officers intercepted him at the point of exit. A search of his two suitcases revealed three empty backpacks in each box with a large parcel of heroin neatly sewn to all the six backpacks. The six parcels were subsequently recovered with a gross weight of 13.30kg. In his statement, Oguejiofor claimed he was hired for a fee of $7,000 upon successful delivery of the parcels. He said he was to deliver two parcels in Lagos and the other four parcels in Accra, Ghana. Meanwhile, a total of Thirty Two Million Six Hundred and Seven Thousand Nine Hundred (32,607,900) pills of tramadol worth over Twelve Billion Five Hundred and Seventy Seven Million Naira (N12,577,000,000) and One Million Four Hundred and Fifty One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety Four (1,451,994) bottles of codeine-based syrup with a street value of Ten Billion One Hundred and Sixty Three Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand Naira (N10,163,958,000) have been intercepted at the Lekki Deep Seaport, Apapa seaport in Lagos and Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers state.
The combined monetary value of the seized opioids comes to Twenty-Two Billion Seven Hundred and Forty Million Nine Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand Naira (N22,740,958,000). The illicit consignments were seized from containers watch listed by NDLEA based on intelligence and processed for 100 percent joint examination with men of the Nigeria Customs and other security agencies at the three seaports between Monday 7th and Friday 11th October 2024. In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Anambra on Saturday 12th October arrested a suspect, Okelue Chidera, 29, with 50,000 tablets of tramadol 200mg at Upper Iweka, Onitsha. Also, in Edo state, operatives raided a cannabis transit and loading point at Aviose, Owan West LGA where 70 bags of the psychoactive substance weighing 1,050kg were recovered, while a suspect Monday Akele, 38, was arrested on Friday 11th October in another raid at Owan Village, Ovia North East L GA where 110kg of same substance was seized. With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Sacred Heart Girls International Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; students and teachers of Methodist Girls High School, Utu/Ikpe, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom; students and staff of Federal Government Girls Secondary School, Bida, Niger state; students and teachers of Ekunle High School, Iseyin, Oyo state; students and teachers of St. Theresa Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; students and teachers of Joy Primary and Secondary School, Idogbo, Benin city, Edo state; students and staff of Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja; and WADA advocacy visit to the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lekki seaport, Apapa, PHPC, Anambra, and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
As NDLEA arrests 2 wanted kingpins, 2 ex-convicts for drug trafficking; intercepts illicit consignments going to US, UK, Canada, Australia, Thailand
By Ebinum Samuel
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested an automobile spare parts dealer Ejiofor Nnaemeka Chiwuzie over attempt to export consignments of heroin and loud, a strain of cannabis, concealed in LED rechargeable lamps and sofa metal legs through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.
Ejiofor was arrested on Tuesday 24th September 2024 at the Trade Fair complex, Ojo area of Lagos where he sells automobile spare parts following the seizure of his cargo containing auto parts, rechargeable lamps, sofa metal legs and electronics going to Liberia at the export shed of the Lagos airport. Concealed inside the LED lamps and sofa legs were 37 parcels of heroin weighing 1.10 kilograms and four blocks of loud with a total weight of 1.20kg. A swift follow up operation led to the arrest of two freight agents and then Ejiofor who sent the consignment.
In the same vein, attempts by drug trafficking networks to export consignments of loud, tramadol pills, co-codamol tablets, pentazocine injection, dihydrocodeine and promethazine tabs through some courier companies to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Thailand and Oman were foiled by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to the logistics firms. While 2.3kg of loud hidden in a carton was going to Thailand, 749 grams of tramadol concealed in soles of locally made footwears were heading to Oman, with 60 ampoules of pentazocine injection going to the United States. No less than 200 pills of co-codamol were meant for Australia while a total of 700 tablets of dihydrocodeine, promethazine and tramadol as well as 20 ampoules of pentazocine injection concealed in soles of footwears were heading to the United Kingdom. Going to Canada were 58 ampoules of pentazocine injection hidden in female cloths. All the seizures in the courier houses were made between Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th September in Lagos.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 25th September arrested a wanted drug kingpin Ajiboye Damilare Samuel (a.k.a Na God) after 12 months of evading arrest following the raid of his warehouse in Akala, Mushin area of Lagos, where a total of 1,101 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis was recovered on 4th September 2023. The arrest of Ajiboye in a bank in Ogun state followed well-coordinated efforts by the Agency’s Directorate of Assets and Financial Investigation, which traced 20 bank accounts linked to the suspect and blocked them.
In like manner, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Friday 27th September took into custody a wanted community leader and Sarkin Yamma of Badagry, Alhaji Bashir Mohammed Talba, following the arrest of his two wives: Hauwa and Asma’u and son, Sadat as well as the seizure of a total of 226.2kg cannabis at their homes in Badagry on 18th September. In another operation in Lagos, no less than 9.7kg cannabis sativa and 50 litres of monkey tail, a fermented combo of cannabis and dry gin, were recovered from a suspect Florence Moses at Badore area of Ajah, Lekki on Tuesday 24th September. In Kogi, three suspects: Owolabi Dele, 42; Ayodele Monday, 40; and Olawale Ojo, 22, were arrested by NDLEA operatives along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway while conveying 132 sacks of cannabis weighing 2,062.00kg in a Mercedes container truck from Osun state to Dei Dei in Abuja. Another suspect Benedict Simire, 57, was arrested at Ayetoro road, Kabba, conveying 33.40kg of same psychoactive substance and a pump action gun with six cartridges on Wednesday 25th September. On the same Wednesday, operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA intercepted a two 40HP Yamaha engines boat bearing 71 bags of Ghana Loud weighing 2,982kgs along Alfa beach, Lekki area of Lagos. Men of the Nigerian Customs Service Western Marine Command were on hand to support the NDLEA officers to recover the boat and exhibits after the two suspects in the boat dived into the water. Also, on Wednesday 25th September, NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, Rivers state intercepted 1,500 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup containing a total of 150,000 bottles during a joint examination of a targeted 40ft container, with men of Nigerian Customs and other security agencies. While NDLEA operatives in Niger state recovered 6,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection from Chukwudi Nwanoche, 38, at the former Minna city gate, their counterparts in Kano arrested Aminu Danmanya, 31, with 15,530 capsules of tramadol at Kano residential hotel, Katsina road. In Plateau state, operatives on Friday 27th September arrested a female suspect Jummai Luka, 58, behind Jehovah Witness junction, Kabong, Jos North LGA, in possession of 12,000 pills of tramadol while NDLEA officers in Oyo state on Tuesday 24th September nabbed Segun Asogba, 50, with 601kg cannabis sativa and a Dane gun at Igangan town. In Katsina, two ex-convicts: Muhammad Machido, 44, and Zakari Ya’u Buhari, 32, were again arrested by NDLEA operatives with illicit substances. While Muhammad was nabbed along Kano-Katsina highway, Kankia, on Monday 23rd September with 51,000 pills of opioids, Zakari was arrested in Daura with 14 blocks of cannabis weighing 7kg. Zakari was first arrested on 8th February 2024 and sentenced by court to 15 months’ imprisonment with an option of 15,000 fine, which he paid. In his case, Muhammad was earlier arrested with 45kg cannabis sativa and 2.5kg tramadol on 12th December 2022. He was then sentenced to two years imprisonment. While Benjamin Benjamin Ebei, 33, was arrested at Biase LGA Cross River state, with 38kg cannabis recovered from his vehicle, operatives in Edo state on Tuesday 24th September raided a house along Okpuje road, Uzebba in Owan West LGA where they arrested a suspect Idonuan Ajilo, 53, and seized 112.5kg cannabis from his store. Meanwhile, across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week. Instances include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Girls Secondary School, Kafur, Katsina; students and teachers of Akinlade Primary School, Ajah, Lagos; students of St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, Cross River; and WADA advocacy lecture at the palace of Aree of Iree town,Osun state, Oba Muritala Oyelakin, among others. While commending the officers and men of DOGI, DAFI, MMIA, Onne, Marine, Lagos, Kogi, Katsina, Oyo, Plateau, Niger, Kano, Edo, and Cross River Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
We’ll continue to disrupt activities of drug cartels in Nigeria, says Marwa
By Ebinum Samuel
Barely 16 months after he was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine, a 48-year-old businessman Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji has been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for importing 817 wraps of the same Class A drug weighing 19.40 kilograms with an estimated street value of Four Billion Six Hundred and Fifty Six Million Naira (N4,656,000,000.00). Ogbuji was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, on Wednesday 10th May 2023 upon arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951 for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.986kg. He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12 Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on 13th July 2023. Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00), which he paid and was set free.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the seized 1.986 kilograms cocaine, his international passport, 14 US dollars and 9000 Uganda shillings found on him at the time of his arrest. Not done with crime, Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport on Wednesday 18th September 2024 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos. The suspect had approached the joint examination table with a black travelling bag which was searched by an NDLEA operative who cleared the luggage. In a dubious move, Ogbuji sneaked back to the carousel area to put inside the cleared bag a black backpack he left on the conveyor’s belt.
As he made his way out of the arrival hall, vigilant NDLEA officers intercepted him and subjected him to a secondary search. It was then large wraps of excreted cocaine were found concealed inside the backpack hidden in the black travelling bag that was earlier found with the suspect. A total of 817 pellets of cocaine excreted by many traffickers in Addis Ababa weighing 19.40kg belonging to different members of a drug cartel were recovered. During interview with the suspect, he stated that he initially left the backpack containing the drug at the carousel area as a strategy to beat NDLEA operatives, adding that he never knew there could be a secondary search since he had presented his bag for search previously and nothing incriminating was found. He claimed he had to procure a new international passport to continue his criminal trade. Investigation reveals Ogbuji is an unrepentant kingpin within the network of drug cartels operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria and others in the West African sub-region like Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire.
In his reaction to the arrest of Ogbuji, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA Strategic Command for an excellent job done, adding that the seizure of such a large consignment of cocaine at the airport is a milestone that will send a strong message to the international drug cartels trying to find footholds in Nigeria. He said the Agency will continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country.
