NDLEA Declares Prophetess, Celebrity Couple Wanted Over Seized Illicit Drugs
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
A Port Harcourt based prophetess and founder of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, Faith Ugochi and a celebrity couple: Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen have been declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for recruiting teenage girls into drug trafficking while they serve as the arrowheads of an international syndicate operating from Los Angeles, USA.
NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, had intercepted a consignment of 32.70 kilograms of Loud, a strong variant of cannabis concealed in cartons of used wears on Wednesday 16th November 2022 and the freight agent, Ukoh Ifeanyi Oguguo, was arrested immediately while further investigations led to the arrest of four more suspects: Chikodi Favour; Obiyom Shalom Chiamaka; Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana).
The 15-year-old Favour was arrested at a fuel station in Ajah area of Lagos and she led the operatives to a duplex around Ikate area of Lekki, which was later discovered to be a rented apartment by the criminal group purposely for four young girls that the syndicate uses for marketing and distribution of illicit drugs.
Another girl, Shalom, a fresh graduate of Agricultural Science from Rivers State University of Science and Technology was picked from the house.
During their preliminary interviews, it was learnt that the syndicate rented another building used as drugs warehouse inside Richmond Estate, Lekki but by the time operatives located the house, it was discovered that other members of the syndicate had broken into the store and carted away bags of illicit substances but some illicit drugs paraphernalia including sealing machine, bloating machine and packaging bags were recovered from the warehouse.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Edward Omatseye, at his residence around Lekki area, who confessed during interview to be working for Igho and his wife, Danielle, who are identified as the overall heads of the criminal group.
Investigation was able to establish that Favour and Shalom were recruited as salesgirls in the illicit drug trade by Prophetess Faith Ugochi of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, using her church platform to recruit teenage girls brought to her for help, on behalf of the celebrity couple, who are the owners of the business, while Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) coordinates the illicit drug trade activities for them in Nigeria, with Nnochiri Chidinma Promise as representative of Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company responsible for the shipment of illicit consignments into the country.
While Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) have already been charged to court and are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court, Lagos alongside Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company, which had been linked to two previous drug seizures and also involved in the current case, several attempts to get Prophetess Faith Ugochi, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen submit themselves for questioning have proved abortive.
A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said, they instead, hurriedly moved all funds traced to their company, Lasgidi Backwood Ltd, where all proceeds from the sales of illicit drugs were deposited into a private account of one Victor Imagoro.
The statement noted the Agency has since blocked the sum of Eighty Million Naira (N80,000,000) traced to the account and obtained a court order to seize all properties including a fuel station linked to the suspects in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
It said the NDLEA has further sought and obtained an order of the Federal High Court Lagos to declare wanted the celebrity couple: Ubiribo Igho and Danielle Allen, as the arrowheads of the illicit trade as well as Prophetess Faith Ugochi, who recruits teenage girls as sales representatives for the duo.
