Abuja – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two drug barons said to be behind recent importation of two drug consignments from Canada to Nigeria.
The drug consignment were concealed in vehicle containers and came through the Tincan Island seaport, Apapa, Lagos.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Babafemi said one of them, Gboyega Ayoola Elegbeji, was arrested at his house, 14 Bakare Street, Idi Araba, Lagos on Wednesday, June 22, for importing a 40ft container TRHU7874497, containing 33 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing16.5kg.
He said the second suspect, Sunday Joe Oyebola (aka Otunba), was arrested on Thursday, June 23.
Babafemi said the second suspect is linked to the importation of a 40ft container MEDU4389887 containing four vehicles used to conceal 290 parcels weighing 145kg cannabis indica (Colorado) from Montreal, Canada.
He added that Oyebola had been on the run since March and had in the course of investigation attempted to bribe officers with N10 million to influence the case.
Babafemi also said a Brazilian returnee, Igwedum Uche Benson, has been arrested by operatives of the agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos with pellets of cocaine concealed in his private part.
According to the statement, Igwedum was nabbed at the arrival hall of the airport on Monday , June 20 shortly on his arrival on board of Ethiopian Airlines from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa.
Babafemi said preliminary investigations revealed the suspect had swallowed 50 wraps of cocaine before departing Brazil and excreted 48 pellets in Addis Ababa where he handed them over to another person.
According to the NDLEA, Igwedum , however, claimed he was unable to excrete the remaining two wraps at the hotel room in Addis Ababa before boarding his flight but later excreted them in the aircraft restroom during the flight from Ethiopia to Lagos.
Babafemi also said after three weeks of painstaking investigation and tracking, operatives of the MMIA command of NDLEA on Saturday night, June 25, arrested a drug kingpin, Onyekachi Chukwuma Macdonald behind attempts to export 40 parcels of Methamphetamine popularly called Mkpuru Mmiri locally to London, United Kingdom through the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport.
“Onyekachi was arrested at Manacola estate, Alakuko area of Lagos at the weekend, three weeks after his Mkpuru Mmiri consignment weighing 2.05kilograms was intercepted at the airport and his freight agent, Peter Christopher Anikan arrested on June 7.
“During his interview, the suspect said he’s from Ahiazu, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State and had lived in Dubai, UAE for 10 years before returning to Nigeria in 2019.
“He stated that after his return to Nigeria, he opened a phone accessories shop in Sango Otta, Ogun State but the business collapsed.
“He then started sending cigarettes to London and decided to conceal the illicit drug in the consignment after advice by a friend.
“Closely related is the seizure of another consignment of 2kg Mkpuru Mmiri at a courier house in Owerri, Imo state.
“The cargo seized on Wednesday , June 22, had ankara and lace fabrics in which two cylindrical cellophanes containing the drug heading to Hong Kong were concealed.
“Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on Friday, June 24th, intercepted 500,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg packed in 10 cartons and labelled Tramaking imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Emirates Airline.
“The consignment weighing 407.60kg was seized during a joint examination with Customs and NAFDAC officials.
“Same day, a Dubai, UAE-bound passenger, Alegbeleye Taiwo was arrested at the departure hall of the MMIA with 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection. The 21-year-old suspect claims he’s from Osun state,” Babafemi said.
In his reaction to the seizures and arrests, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, retired Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (td) commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Tincan, and Imo state Commands of the Agency for their exploits.
He was particularly happy about the drug seizures and arrests, especially of those who thought they could evade the long arm of the law.
The NDLEA helmsman then encouraged them and their compatriots across other formations to intensify their efforts towards achieving set goals.
