End of the year: five drug barons arrested in one day

It was a sort of drama at the tarmac of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos State when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, quizzed four suspected drug peddlers at the airport last week.

Immediately the flight screeched to a halt at the MMIA, operatives who had placed the four suspects on alert, called them for screening, the four suspects, it was gathered started to behave funny leading to the operatives to specially single them out for thorough screening. During the exercise, thirty-five year old Emeanu Sunday Ogechukwu was arrested.

 The next suspect, Madubia Vitalis, 35 years was also quizzed. As that wasn’t enough, Nnoli Oliver Uchenna, 39 year-old, was also apprehended while Ekwe Paul Chinonso, 34years was equally arrested.

It was gathered that Emeanu Sunday Ogechukwu was first to be arrested with 70 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.120kg. The drug was buried in his inner wear.

Drama however, took place when he told his captors that the drugs were given to him by Madubia Vitalis. Shortly after, Nnoli Oliver Uchenna was also caught with 74 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.255kg. Nnoli immediately point fingers to his co-traveller in the drug racket, Ekwe Chinonso, as the man behind the drug that he was carrying.

“A total of 144 wraps of cocaine concealed inside the inner wear of two of the suspects were detected at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during routine screening”, Mitchell Ofoyeju stated.

NDLEA says the four suspected drug traffickers would be charged in connection with unlawful importation of 2.375kg of wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine.

According to the NDLEA Commander at the MMIA, Lagos, Mr. Hamza Umar, all the four suspects have been arrested and are currently under investigation.

Emeanu Sunday Ogechukwu, an apprentice at Idumota market in his statement said that he was offered N200, 000 to smuggle the drugs from Abu Dhabi by one Madubia Vitalis.

“I am looking for money to get married and settle down. If I had known that it will end this way, I should have rejected the offer. I am still serving my master at Idumota,” Emeanu who hails from Anambra State lamented.

Madubia Vitalis who works in a restaurant in Brazil said that he was paid $3,000, to smuggle the drugs from Brazil to Abu Dhabi. Madubia also hails from Anambra State.

Nnoli Oliver Uchenna who was with 74 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.255kg as of the time he was arrested also claimed that the illicit ‘wares’ were given to him by Ekwe Paul Chinonso at Abu Dhabi.

 “I sell electrical parts in Anambra State. I was given the drugs by Ekwe Paul who promised to pay me N200, 000” Nnoli stated.

Ekwe Paul, a trader who hails from Imo State said that he was given $4,000 to smuggle the drugs from Brazil to Abu Dhabi. In his words, “all I know is that I was given $4,000 to take the drug from Brazil to Abu Dhabi. It was in Abu Dhabi that I gave it to Nnoli Oliver Uchenna. I wanted to use the $4,000 to buy artificial female hair for the end of year sales”.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade expressed satisfaction with the arrest.

“I am glad that the suspects were arrested. Their plan of recruiting different couriers to take the drugs from Brazil to Abu Dhabi and another set to take the drugs to Nigeria has been aborted,” Giade stated.

The NDLEA boss urged members of the public with useful information on illegal drug activities to contact any of its offices nationwide. The suspects would be charged to court after Christmas period.

 In the same fate, is a 34 year old trader who was also apprehended by the anti-narcotic officers over attempt to smuggle 16.335kg of cannabis concealed in foodstuff to Dubai.

The suspect deals on clothes at Ikorodu area of Lagos when he was quizzed for interrogation at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), during the screening of passengers on an Etihad flight, ten parcels of cannabis were found inside his two big bags.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar gave the name of the suspect as Obi Chinweike. He said: “Our search team detected 16.335kg of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis at the luggage screening area. The cannabis was hidden in a false bottom of the bags containing yams, garri and other foodstuff. The suspect, Obi Chinweike who is a trader is currently assisting the investigation team,” Hamza stated.

But the suspect in his statement claimed that he was offered one thousand dollars ($1,000), to deliver the drugs in Dubai.

“I was given the drug at Onitsha by a friend who paid me $1,000 to smuggle the drugs to Dubai. Unfortunately, I was arrested in the process. I am from a poor home, I dropped out of school in 1996 in Senior Secondary class (SSC one) due to lack of funds”. Obi Chinweike, stated. According to him, he hails from Uli in Anambra State.

Ahmadu Giade warned drug traffickers to quit the criminal trade or face the consequences as contained in the NDLEA Act.

“If drug barons fail to quit the criminal trade, they will continue to be arrested and prosecuted. This arrest and similar ones are clear signals that drug traffickers will end up in prison custody, if they fail to quit. The Agency has intensified search operations at all exit points,” Giade assured. The suspect would also be charged to court after Christmas break.

Leaving no stone unturned in its effort to rid Lagos State; of illicit drug trafficking and abuse, the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), discovered a methamphetamine Clandestine Laboratory in Lagos State also the same week.

 NDLEA says Methamphetamine is a powerful addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system.

According to the agency’s investigation, the current laboratory is the sixth of such illegal methamphetamine production factories uncovered in the last two years. It’s located opposite two private nursery schools.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, the agency’s Public Relations Officer told Daily Newswatch that citing such dangerous laboratory close to school is highly injurious to public health and safety.

The schools are Rock of Ages Crèche, Nursery and Primary Schools and Regal Gems International School.

It was gathered that the building used for the illegal production has been sealed by NDLEA.

Methamphetamine weighing 31.7kg was also recovered from the laboratory.

A Nissan Xterra Jeep belonging to suspected masterminds of the laboratory was impounded along with other documentary and material evidences.

Michael Anum, a 38 year old businessman who has dual nationality of Nigeria and South Africa was arrested in connection with the laboratory.

Mr. Anum was alleged to be the owner of a transport company in South Africa. The suspect is currently being investigated by the anti-narcotic Agency. 

NDLEA Lagos State Commander, Aliyu Sule who supervised the operation disclosed that the Command acted on intelligence reports.

“We acted on an intelligence report about the illicit activities taking place at the laboratory. When we raided the premises, we observed that methamphetamine production was in progress. A total of 31.7kg of methamphetamine have been seized at the laboratory”, Sule stated.

The five areas in Lagos State where laboratories have been discovered are in Monkey Village, Iba area of Lagos; Daily Times Estate, Satellite Town; Silver Estate, Isolo; and now Shapeti, area of Lekki.
The fifth one was discovered in Nanka, Anambra State.

 The growing discovery of illegal methamphetamine production plants in Lagos is giving the Lagos State Government and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, serious concern.

The three Bolivians arrested in connection with the suspected clandestine laboratory were19 year old Yerko Artunduaga Dorado, Ruben Ticona Jorge, 21 years old; and Hugo Chavez Moreno, 39 years old.
The fourth suspect is a 23-year-old Nigerian, Uba Ubachukwu Collins. However, Solomon Azuka Uzoka and Basil Ikechukwu Uzoka are wanted for questioning by the anti-drug Agency.

It will be recalled that on June 2013, the agency in conjunction with the Nigerian Army, the police and other security agencies tore the entire Lagos metropolis and by the time, the raid ended in that month, huge illicit drugs of 3,166.15kg were seized while 47 suspects were arrested.

“The Agency will not relent in this all-important fight against the scourge of narcotics” Giade stated when he was briefed about the suspects.  The NDLEA boss explained that experts are of the opinion that criminal acts like rape, murder, armed robbery and terrorism are aggravated by substance abuse. He also urged members of the public to be vigilant and report suspected drug cases to the nearest NDLEA office.

As that was not enough, Operatives of the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and military officers again conducted raid in search of drug barons and their drugs. The joint operation embarked upon in November was very successful as 15 suspected drug traffickers were apprehended with 680.266kg of narcotic drugs mainly cannabis. Among the recovered drugs were 316 grammes of methamphetamine and 200 grammes of heroin while others are cannabis.

 The areas covered by the raid are Akala and Akerele Agege, Lagos. The NDLEA Lagos Commander, Mr Aliyu Sule said that the operation was in response to intelligence report received on the affected locations.

“We daily collect and process information on the activities of drug traffickers and conduct raid when it is expedient. The total weight of drugs seized is 680.266kg. Those apprehended are being investigated and very soon they will be charged to court” Aliyu stated.

The Army Commander in charge of 9 Brigade, Brigadier General Adeniyi Oyebade has assured the NDLEA that he will always provide army officers whenever their support is required. In his words, “the Nigeria Army will continue to lend its support to the anti-drug campaign. The level of success anytime we go on joint operations encourages us to deepen our relationship with the NDLEA” Oyebade stated. NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade thanked the Brigade Commander for his continuous support to the Agency. “The support from the Nigeria Army is commendable. We shall continue to conduct similar raid operations on locations where drugs are sold and abused. This partnership with the Army shall be sustained and strengthened. As at the ending year, 420 suspected drug traffickers with 8,300.277kg of various drugs in the past 10 months were held. Within the period, 69 persons were convicted for drug related charges while other cases are pending.

 NDLEA commander in the State, Mr. Sule, who gave the statistics, described drug abuse in Lagos as alarming. According to Sule, “the problem of drug abuse in the State is alarming. Between January and October the command arrested 420 drug traffickers comprising 387 males and 33 females.

Daily Newswatch gathered that a total of 8,300.277kg of drugs were also seized.

The drugs include 8,186.320kg of cannabis, psychotropic substances 73.450kg, methamphetamine 34.016kg, heroin 4.688kg and cocaine 1.803kg”.

 The commander equally thanked the Nigerian army for collaborating with the Agency in the State.

“Within the period under review, we have had two successful joint operations with the military. The first raid carried out in June 2013, led to the seizure of 3,166.15kg and arrests of 47 suspects. Another raid in November led to the arrest of 15 suspects with 680.266kg of narcotic drugs mainly cannabis”.