Embattled police officer Abba Kyari has been taken into custody, according to information reaching TheNewsGuru.com (TNG).
Kyari was taken into custody after reports emerged that he is involved in a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.
The NDLEA declared him wanted on Monday after efforts to get him to clarify his involvement in the cocaine deal failed.
Details shortly…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 9.30 kilograms of cociane worth over N2.7 billion at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said a 32-year-old drug trafficker based in Liberia, Maduabuchi Chinedu, was arrested with the consignment.
Babafemi said the suspect who hailed from Obaha Okigwe village, Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo state, lived in Liberia where he worked as a miner.
He said the suspect was arrested during an inward joint search of Ethiopian Airlines flight 911 at the Abuja airport on Nov. 24.
He said the drug, which weighed 9.30kg cocaine, was wrapped in candies wraps and concealed in the suspect’s luggage.
According to him, during his preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he left Nigeria in 2018 to settle in Liberia where he now has a residence permit.
“He, however, added that economic pressure and the need to raise money to treat his mother for an eye problem led him to seek help from a friend in Liberia,” said the statement.
Chinedu said it was the friend who introduced him to another friend based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who eventually gave him the drug to deliver in Abuja for a fee of N1 million.
He added that he was initially scheduled to deliver the drug in Cote d’Ivoire but was rerouted to Nigeria at the last minute.
Babafemi quoted the Chiarman, NDLEA, (rtd.), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of the NAIA Command of the agency for their vigilance and working in synergy with other security agencies at the airport.
Marwa charged them and their colleagues in other commands to always remain two steps ahead of merchants of death who are daily getting more desperate to make money at the expense of the image of the country and wellbeing of Nigerians.
A Brazil-based drug dealer, Okafor Okwudili Moses has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over 2.55 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a toilet at the E-Arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to Mr Babafemi, the drug was discovered in the toilet of the airport on Friday 12th November after it was dumped there by a trafficker who was obviously scared of being caught by narcotic officers positioned at the airport.
The following day, Saturday, November 13, the actual owner of the consignment, Okafor arrived at the airport from Brazil via an Ethiopian Airline and was promptly arrested.
While being interviewed in custody, he confirmed he is the owner of the seized illicit drug.
In other interdiction operations across the country, over 6,043.857 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered in five states of Adamawa, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Ebonyi with more than two hectares of cannabis farms destroyed.
A suspected fake security agent, Abdullahi Mohammed, who claimed to be serving in one of the security formations in Mubi, Adamawa state was arrested with four blocks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 4kg along Bazza- Michika road. In the same vein, four other suspects were arrested at different locations in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, with assorted substances such as Cannabis, Diazepam, Exol- 5 and Tramadol tablets.
In Ondo state, three persons: Alabi Idowu; Oluwatomipe Olorundare and Finity Sunday were arrested on Monday 15th November and a total of 2,771kgs of Cannabis recovered from them at Oke Ogun camp, Ipele, Owo LGA, while 59-year-old Mrs. Joy Peter was nabbed with over 39kg cannabis and Tramadol tablets on Wednesday 17th Nov.
Similarly, over 2, 832kg of drugs were seized and more than two hectares of cannabis farms destroyed in parts of Ekiti state. While 2,582kg of Cannabis was recovered on Tuesday 16th November from Itapaji forest, Ipao, Ikole LGA, 250kg was seized from Ise forest, Ise-Orun LGA where the cannabis farm was also destroyed on Thursday 18th Nov.
Meanwhile, in Ebonyi, 29-year-old Ivoh Chukwuemeka accompanied by his girlfriend Ogbonna Peace, 18, was intercepted along Enugu-Abakaliki expressway with 20.357kg cannabis on Friday 19th Nov. Similarly, 377.5kg cannabis was seized from at least two suspects: Lucky Okhian and Aaron Monday in Owan West LGA as well as Okpokhumi forest in Owan East LGA of Edo state.
Reacting to the arrest of Okafor and other suspects as well as the seizures from the states, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men involved in the operations across the commands for sustaining the heat on drug cartels in the country.
“We are proving to the bad guys and merchants of death that we’ll not stay a step ahead of them but two steps in this game, and this we must sustain as we prepare to go into the new year,” he declared.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed the arrest of 12 dockworkers at the Apapa Seaport, Lagos linked to the importation of N9.5 billion cocaine.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Saturday in Abuja.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had granted an application by NDLEA for the interim attachment of a vessel MV Chayanee Naree used to import the 32.9 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the port.
Beside the attachment order, the court also granted NDLEA’s request to detain the Master of the ship, Mr Tanahan Krilerk.
It also granted NDLEA’s request to detain 21 foreign national crew members as well as the dockworkers arrested in connection with the case.
The anti-narcotic agency had on Oct. 13 intercepted the ship at the Apapa Seaport following intelligence from international partners and support from the Nigerian Navy, Customs, DSS and the police.
A thorough search of the ship led to the recovery of 30 parcels containing cocaine, which weighed 32.9kg worth N9.5 billion in street value.
The application in suit no: FHC/L/CS/1518/2021, which was filed by the agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Joseph Sunday, on Oct. 28, was granted on Oct. 29 by Justice A.O. Awogboro.
An application to renew the remand order was also filed on Friday, Nov. 12 because of the volume of evidence coming out from the cooperation of the suspects in custody.
Bababfemi said that NDLEA’s clarification became necessary following claims by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria that some of its members were being detained unlawfully by the agency.
Babafemi said that of the total number of 18 dockworkers initially interviewed by operatives, six of them with no sufficient evidence linking them to the crime had been released.
He added that 12 others with significant links were cooperating in the on-going investigation.
“In line with intelligence available, there is a syndicate of dockworkers, crew members with apparent international conspirators who work in synergy to traffic in illicit substances,’’ he stated.
He added that while the substances were concealed in the shipment from the originating port, the dockworkers assisted to pick up the illicit consignment for onward delivery to the Nigerian drug barons.
“In the case of criminal investigation of this magnitude, it is lawful and expedient to investigate those within the purview of the agency’s reasonable suspicion.
“Already, two dockworkers are now on the run after absconding from their place of work, since the beginning of the investigation.
“All the agency’s actions are guided by international best practices and in line with Global Maritime Standard Operational Procedure on arrest, seizure and detention of vessels and crew members,’’ Babafemi stated.
Thieves have stolen 541 kilogrammes of cocaine worth around 13 million dollars from the police in South Africa.
The drugs were held inside the office of the Hawks special unit in the town of Port Shepstone in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend, the police announced on Tuesday.
The thieves entered the building through a window and then managed to break into the reinforced cabinets where the seized drugs were being stored.
South Africa plays an important role as a transit country for the illegal trade in Latin American cocaine, especially for onward transport towards Australia, Europe, and Hong Kong.
A suspected drug trafficker, Ibeh Kenneth Ejike, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for allegedly ingesting 87 wraps of cocaine.
The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, revealed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Babafemi said the 41-year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday, 25th August, 2021, upon his arrival on board an Ethiopian Airline flight 911 from Kigali via Addis Ababa.
The suspect was taken in upon arrival for secondary check during which he tested positive to ingestion of illicit substance.
According to the statement, while under observation, he excreted 87 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.884 kilograms.
Ibeh, who imports cloths for sale, hails from Owerrizikeala village in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra State, the statement revealed.
Babafemi also said a Lagos based suspected drug dealer, Eze Celestine Okorie, was arrested following the interception of 4.15kilograms of methamphetamine consignment going to London, the United Kingdom at the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on 13th August.
The statement reads: “The drug was concealed in tins of tomato branded ‘sunripe’ and packaged for the driver of a freight forwarding company to deliver at the airport export shed for onward movement to the UK.
“Though the freight company’s driver was initially arrested, follow up investigations and subsequent sting operation led to the arrest of the kingpin behind the consignment, Eze Celestine Okorie, at his his Coker, Surulere, Lagos home on Wednesday 25th August, 2021. He hails from Isu village in Onicha LGA, Ebonyi state.
“Meanwhile, raids of drug joints continued across the states in the last week. In Cross River state, one Anietie Attauba was arrested at Idundu community with 9.9 grams of cocaine, while 23-year-old Joy Odey was picked at Nassarawa Bakoko Area of Calabar Municipality LGA on Friday 27th August with 500grams of skunk. On the same day, one Ugwuanyi Chukwujekwu Basil was arrested at AK Divine Park, Harbour Road, Calabar with 2.6kg of cannabis; 10.33grams of cocaine and 30ml of swinol.
“In Abuja, operatives of the FCT Command of the Agency also intercepted a Hiace bus conveying bags of cannabis, and 30 parcels of skunk, cumulatively weighing 310kilograms along Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway, where another 32kg of Tramadol was equally seized same day.
“In Anambra state, operatives also raided the Onitsha main market, Marine Line on Thursday 26th August with the support of soldiers. Recovered during the raid include: 50kg of cannabis; 150grams of meth and 27.6grams of cocaine. One of the dealers, Moses Obiahu was arrested.
“While commending the resilience of the officers and men of the NAIA, MMIA, Anambra, Cross River and FCT Commands of the Agency as shown by their latest arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the ongoing offensive action aimed at cutting off availability and accessibility to illicit drugs in all parts of Nigeria.”
A certain medical doctor, Jane Ofoma, has been detained by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Auchi, Edo State, for being involved in an online catering service, where drugged cookies and biscuits are being made and sold to members of the public.
26 year old Ofoma who is a graduate of Medicine from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was said to have recently completed her internship at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
The agency accused her of using her Omachi’s Kitchen to sell drugged cookies and biscuits.
A statement on Tuesday by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said following intelligence and surveillance, narcotic officers of the Edo State Command of the agency, on Saturday, June 19, 2021, stormed her operational base at No. 1 Winners Way, Auchi, where she was arrested.
According to him, no fewer than 94 pieces of cookies produced with cannabis sativa were recovered.
“She has confessed to baking the cookies with skunk in her statement, while under interrogation,” Babafemi said.
In the same vein, a 30-year-old man, Emmanuel Ehiramhen, of No. 10 Egan Street, Ekpoma, has been captured by officers of the command for dealing in crack cocaine, while operatives from the Kwara State Command of the agency have apprehended a 52-year-old ex-soldier, Ibrahim Musa, with 12.167 kilograms of Arizona (cannabis sativa), four grams of cocaine and 25 grams of flunitrazepam.
Musa was detained on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at Oke-Odo, Tanke area of Ilorin metropolis, when he arrived from Lagos to supply his customers in the state.
Musa, a sergeant, who worked in the maintenance department at the Abati Army Barracks, Lagos, from where he was deployed to the 117 Battalion in Chibok, Borno State, before he deserted the Army, had arrived Ilorin in company with his wife, Basirat, in his Honda Accord car with number plate Lagos JJ 707 BL with the seized exhibits.
Babafemi stated, “He was arrested at the point of delivery by operatives of the Kwara State Command of the agency. Under interrogation, Ibrahim revealed that while at Chibok, he got connected to a supplier of Arizona and other drugs in Lagos, whom he contacted when he deserted the Army in October 2020.
“He said he decided to go into the illicit drug business to enable him fend for his two wives and three children. The suspect revealed that the latest journey was his second trip to Ilorin to deliver drugs and decided to travel with one of his wives, who was not aware of his mission.”
A Brazil based suspected drug kingpin has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) who also intercepted 36 blocks of cocaine, weighing 27.95 kilogrammes with a street value of over N8bn at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The suspect, Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, was arrested at the airport on Friday 14 May 2021 “for importing 27.95kg of cocaine using their organised criminal gang, which specialises in tagging/planting drugs in innocent travellers’ luggage.”
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that based on intelligence, narcotic agents at the MMIA on Saturday 8 May 2021 intercepted a bag that arrived the Lagos airport from GRU, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the Ethiopian airline with baggage tag No- ET331199 but was disclaimed by an arriving passenger on the flight.
The disclaimed bag was promptly secured by NDLEA operatives for investigation.
“On Sunday, 9 May 2021, a man came to the airport to make inquiry on how to get the disclaimed bag released, he was promptly arrested for investigation.
“The disclaimed bag was opened in the presence of the arriving passenger and the man who came to negotiate the release of the disputed bag. When it was opened, it was found that the bag contained 36 blocks of cocaine, weighing 27.95kg.
“A follow up sting operation was carried out, which led to the arrest of Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, the prime suspect, on Friday 14 May upon his arrival from Addis Ababa onboard Ethiopian airline.
“During preliminary interrogation after his arrest, he confessed to have been contracted by his Ethiopian associate who is a notorious drug baron to claim and push out the consignment in Lagos, Nigeria.
“He further admitted to have paid the $24,500 bribe in three tranches to compromise NDLEA officers. The first was $10,000 delivered through his representative in Lagos and another $10, 000 via his First Bank account while the third tranche of $4,500 was paid at the point of his arrest,” Babafemi said.
He added that the drug kingpin group is suspected to be responsible for recruiting traffickers to move illicit drugs to various destinations using Nigeria as their transit location and also planting drugs in the luggage of innocent travelers.
An 80-year-old woman and her 19-year-old granddaughter including two other ladies have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), for selling assorted illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, tramadol, swinol, and skuchies.
A statement by the NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday, revealed that the suspects were arrested following intelligence-based raids and follow-up operations on their locations.
He added that over 192kilogrammes of cocaine and other psychoactive substances were recovered from the suspects while the octogenarian, her granddaughter, and two other ladies; Tessy Matthew and Blessing Adesida were arrested.
The grandma Mary Adebayo, and her granddaughter, Funmilola Adebayo, were arrested at 6:30 am on Sunday at Ayeyemi Street, Akure south local government area.
During the early morning raid, the following were recovered from them: Skuchies- 149kg, cocaine -11grammes, methamphetamine-17grammes, heroin -3grammes, Cannabis Sativa- 4.914kg, swinol – 8grammes and tramadol -49grammes. Also recovered from them were two deep freezers and a TVS motorcycle.
On the same date, at about 1:30 pm, a raid carried out at Rate Hotel, Care Street, in Akure South Local Government Area led to the arrest of 25-year-old Tessy Mathew from whom 33kilogrammes of skuchies were recovered.
Following her preliminary interrogation, a follow-up operation was immediately carried out, leading to the arrest of 25-year-old Blessing Adesida in Oshinle area of Akure South LGA.
Drugs recovered from her include skuchies-3kg and cannabis-7grammes. According to the state’s acting Commander of the Agency, Callys Alumona, other members of the two drug cartels have been watch-listed and efforts to arrest them ongoing.
As a result of the bust, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed the acting Commander, Ondo state command of the Agency, Callys Alumona to launch a manhunt for other members of the drug cartel now on the run.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a suspected drug trafficker, Chigbogu Obiora, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos with 97 wraps of cocaine.
NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the 47-year-old drug trafficker was arrested by operatives of NDLEA on Sunday, April, 25 during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline.
He said that Obiora, who arrived in Lagos on board the airline from Entebbe, Uganda via Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, was subsequently put under observation.
This, he said, was why Obiora had so far excreted 97 wraps of substances that tested positive to cocaine with a total weight of 1.55 kilogramme and a street value of N360 million.
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Commander, MMIA Command, Mr Ahmadu Garba, as saying that Obiora was intercepted in the E-arrival hall of the airport by NDLEA operatives on the suspicion that he ingested drug substance.
“The suspect was taken for body machine scan and the result was positive for ingestion of substance suspected to be illicit drug. The suspect was promptly moved to the NDLEA excretion and observation facility.
“Barely an hour after he was arrested, Obiora excreted 31 wraps of cocaine weighing 500 grammes and another 47 wraps (750 grammes) in the evening of same day.
“Nineteen wraps (300 grammes) were excreted the following day, Monday 26th April, bringing the total to 97 wraps, that is, 1.55 kg, ‘”he said.
The NDLEA spokesman said that under interrogation, Obiora claimed he was promised $1,500 if he successfully trafficked the drug.
According to Obiora, I opted for the ‘deal’ because I needed money. I did it so that I will be capable of feeding my family.
“I was living in Madagascar but due to the COVID-19 and the lock down in the country, I cannot return to my place of work.
“There was a time I started lacking money to feed my family and to pay my children’s school fees; the worst part of it is to pay my rent. So, I decided to take the option to do it and I never knew I can be arrested.
“I have never met the real owner of the drug. I don’t know him, they contacted me on phone and asked if I can do the business,’’ Obiora claimed.
Meanwhile, in continuation of efforts to dismantle all drug spots in Ondo State, Babafemi said that the state command of the agency has raided two joints.
He said that the operatives arrested two dealers and seized 80.2 kilogrammes of skuchies (a cocktail of drugs combination), adding that four hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed in Eleyewo area of Akure South Local Government Area o fthe state.
He quoted the NDLEA acting Commander, Ondo Command, Callys Alumona, as saying that a lady, 31-year-old Ibukunoluwa Kemi and a 25-year-old man, Oluwaseun Sunday, were arrested with 78 kg and 2.2 kg of skuchies respectively.
He noted that both were nabbed in different areas of Akure South in the state capital.
The Chairman, NDLEA, retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA and Ondo State commands for the seizures and arrests.
Marwa charged them and other commands across the country not to rest on their oars in the renewed efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.