In a well coordinated and intelligence led operation that lasted two days across different locations in the State, at least, four drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager have been arrested
By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in what appears to be the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s premier anti-narcotic agency, have busted a major warehouse in a secluded estate in Ikorodu area of Lagos State where 1.8 tons (1,855 kilograms) of the illicit drug worth more than Two Hundred and Seventy Eight Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($278, 250,000) equivalent of about One Hundred and Ninety Four Billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy Five Million (N194, 775,000,000) Naira in street value were seized.
In a well coordinated and intelligence led operation that lasted two days across different locations in the State, at least, four drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager have been arrested.
A statement signed by the Director Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Femi Babafemi, listed kingpins of the cocaine cartel in custody to include: Messrs Soji Jibril, 69, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo state; Emmanuel Chukwu, 65, who hails from Ekwulobia, Anambra state; Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo state; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa, Ondo state and Kelvin Smith, 42, a native of Kingston, Jamaica.
The statement notes they are all members of an international drug syndicate that the Agency has been trailing since 2018 and were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday 19th September.
According to the statement, preliminary investigation reveals the drugs stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums were warehoused in the residential estate from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the Agency involved in the extensive investigation including those of the American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA), said the bust is a historical blow to drug cartels and a strong warning that they will all go down if they fail to realise that the game has changed.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, has congratulated the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), on the smash of the international drug syndicate and recovery of 1,855kilograms of cocaine.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the President had in a telephone call to the Chairman of the anti-narcotics agency from New York where he is attending the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 77), said that the news of the recovery gladdens his heart.
The statement quoted President Buhari as saying “I deeply appreciate the work that you have put into the eradication of the drug menace. It gladdens my heart as I continue to follow the successes achieved under your leadership.
“You have demonstrated over and again that choosing you to lead this fight against wicked merchants of death whose sole aim is to endanger and truncate the future of our youth is a very good choice. Please keep up the good work.”
It further noted that at a meeting later with members of his delegation, the President said, “Buba Marwa is doing well. Two tonnes of cocaine, that’s a haul.”
