arrests (6)
450.4kg of cocaine with a street value of over N4 billion has been seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)..
Announcing the seizure of the hard drugs, Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesperson for the agency disclosed that the cocaine was discovered by the anti-narcotics organisation after it figured out the major drug syndicate that specialises in the unlawful smuggling of cocaine from South American countries to West Africa.Photo:chinese Drug Gangs
Ahmadu Giade, chief executive of the agency said that the cocaine was imported from Chile, and that some barons in the cartel including two Chinese nationals have been arrested alongside their clearing agent who is a Nigerian.
He described the seizure as a major breakthrough in the country’s counter narcotics efforts, adding that this is the second largest cocaine discovery at the Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos State.
“The entire operation was intelligence-based and professionally executed. This is the second largest seizure of cocaine next to the 14.2 tons made at the same port in 2006,” he said. “The quantity is frightening and the street value paints a horrendous picture of the illicit drug trade. Apart from the estimated street value in the country the value would have doubled in Europe. The seizure is exciting to us. It is also a wakeup call for all hands to be on deck.” The agency’s boss, however, assured that investigations are ongoing to get other members of the syndicate arrested, and that it had kept tab on the consignment which originated from Chile and passed through Peru, Bolivia and Antwerpen in Belgium before getting to Tin Can Island Port.
“The drug was neatly concealed in customized floor wood inside a container which was cleared and taken to a private warehouse at Iganmu, Lagos,” he said.
“The agency is determined to send all drug barons out of circulation to prevent criminal acts capable of disrupting peace and stability in the country. I have therefore called for total security alertness in all entry and exit points. State Commanders have also been placed on red alert to ensure effective surveillance and prompt arrests and seizures of any illicit drug shipment.” Meanwhile, the agency’s spokesperson said that the clearing agent of the consignment and other people closely linked to the seizure were also arrested to ascertain their level of involvement as all the clearing documents had fake addresses on them.
“Drug seizures at the ports are usually very large because of the relative ease of transporting containerised goods in vessels and the volume of imported containers,” said Mr. Ofoyeju.
A total of 10 youths have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to smuggle 12.33kg of narcotics out of the country..
A statement by the spokesman of the agency, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, on Sunday also revealed that drug barons were now targeting Nigerians living in Europe, because they possessed travel documents.
The NDLEA stated that apart from two of the suspects residing in Lagos, the others were residents of European nations. It said that 12.33kg consisted of 1.115kg heroin and 11.215kg of cocaine.
The Airport Commander of the NDLEA, Alhaji Hamza Umar, gave the names of the suspects as Osaze Monday, 37, who allegedly ingested 60 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.010kg; Izevbokun Kelvin, 22, who ingested 111 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.610kg; Joe Favour, 26, who ingested 82 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.300kg; Nwodo Oscar,34, who swallowed 95 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.515kg; and Chinedu Okeke,40, who swallowed 69 wraps of heroin weighing 1.115kg.
Others are Obarisiagbon Marvis, 32 who ingested 77 pieces of cocaine weighing 1.445kg; Liasu Ajadi, 41,who ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.190kg; Ejiro Henry,19, who ingested 73 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.285kg; Lever Ehigie,21, who ingested 66 pieces of cocaine weighing 900 grammes; and Omorose Kingsley,28 that swallowed 960 grammes of cocaine.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer, NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, in a goodwill message on Democracy Day charged youths to shun for illicit wealth.
He charged youths to take advantage of the numerous windows of opportunities in the economy to reposition themselves for leadership responsibilities.
Giade, who identified indiscipline and greed as the factors responsible for the involvement of youths in narcotics trafficking, urged them to “positively rebrand” themselves.
“Drug traffickers usually act on impulse as a result of greed and indiscipline. Unfortunately, many only have a re-think after they had been caught,” the NDLEA boss stated.
A statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, on Sunday said Patrick was allegedly found to have ingested the cocaine consigment weighing 1.270kg while being deported from Afghanistan on May 18, 2010. The statement said that Patrick was the first deportee ever to test positive for drug ingestion, adding that it was "a situation narcotic officials described as strange."
Speaking on the case, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, said his officers would continue to thwart attempts by drug cartels to use Nigeria as a drug transit point. Giade said, "Ordinarily, who would expect a drug deportee who has served a jail term for drugs to be deported with drugs in his stomach? We shall therefore remain vigilant to stop the next move of drug barons."
Eight other persons were arrested on different dates with narcotics weighing a total of 10.185kg, it said. The NDLEA Commander at the airport, Alhaji Hamza Umar, gave the names of eight other suspects recently arrested as Popoola Adete, 50, who allegedly ingested and inserted in her anus cocaine weighing 840 grammes; Bolanle Mustapha, 63, who ingested 1.420kg cocaine; Onyeze Chukwudi, 47, allegedly with 1.185kg cocaine; Ndigwe Chukwuma, 47, who allegedly ingested 1.405kg cocaine; and Nmah Chukwu, 47, that ingested 1.130kg cocaine..
Others are Smith Romeo, 32, ingested 1.360kg cocaine; Nwafor Stephen, 35, ingested 1.555kg cocaine; and Alekusho Ekundayo, 56, ingested cocine weighing 1.290kg. The statement said that Adete, a mother of six who owns a restaurant in Paris, was apprehended on May 18, 2010. She allegedly claimed that it was one of her customers that lured her into the illicit trade.
Ekundayo, who described herself as a petty trader, claimed to have ingested 80 wraps of illicit drugs. The suspect, who sells children's clothes and jewellery at Mokola, Ibadan, was reportedly intercepted by a scanning machine as she tried to travel to Paris on an Iberia flight. Upon further search, she was also found to have inserted another wrap weighing 200 grammes in her private part.
Latifu, who is 63, is the oldest drug traffickers arrested this year at the airport, the statement said. The textile and jewellery merchant at Balogun market, Lagos allegedly confessed to ingesting 100 wraps of illicit substances and was arrested on May 1, 2010 on the same flight with Alekusho on their way to France. He was allegedly given the sum of €2,000 and was to receive another €2,000 on successful delivery, the NDLEA spokesman said.
Onyeze was apprehended on the same day while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris enroute to Finland. Onyeze, who has lived in Finland for nine years, had been importing office equipment into Nigeria for sale. Onyeze told NDLEA interrogators that he suffered a big loss in 2008 and had not recovered from the problem, adding that he ingested drugs based on influence from a friend in Europe.
He said, "My phone number was given to somebody in Nigeria. Since I arrived from Finland last month, we have been talking until I was finally given the drugs. I swallowed 60 pieces for €2,500. I am married with a child."
EFCC arrests ABSU VC, registrar for financial recklessness ..
Written by Biola Azeez
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested vice-chancellor and registrar of the Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, Professor Mkpa A. Mkpa, and Mr. Ernest Onuoha, respectively, over allegations of financial recklessness, which allegedly runs into N10 billion.
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The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the two university administrators were arrested based on a petition written to the commission by the university's alumni association, dated November 11, 2009 with reference number ABSUAA/NEC/10/1 and signed by its national vice-president and national secretary of the association, Mr. Ken Nwakanma and Mr. Peter Onyeokoro, respectively, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Umuahia on Tuesday.
The association, which called on the agency to carry out extensive investigations into financial activities of the two principal officers and their accomplices in the administration of the university, added that they also converted university properties to their own.
The petition also accused the principal officers of engaging in admission racketeering, saying that over 60 per cent of the admissions in the university were by racketeering process, stressing that they make over N200 million each admission year.
It also wanted the EFCC to investigate the establishment of the university's package water industry and the fencing of the ABSU International Secondary School, among other contracts, which the association said had consumed more than N60 million.
