NDLEA Arrests Artistes’ Manager, Businessman Notorious For Drug Sales At Lagos Clubs

By Bukar Bolori

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested an artistes’ manager and an accomplice notorious for distribution illicit drugs to fun seekers at VIP night clubs and lounges in parts of Lagos.

A statement by the spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi on Sunday read: “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Lekki-based artistes’ manager and his Ikoyi businessman accomplice who specialize in distributing illicit drugs to fun seekers at VIP night clubs and lounges in Lekki and Island axis of Lagos state.”

He disclosed that their arrest followed an intelligence about a shipment of Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis coming for them from Los Angeles, United States.

According to him, Oseni Babatunde (aka Papalampa) was the first to be arrested in his house at No. 3 Ope Daniel Taiwo Street, off Chisco Bus-Stop, Lekki area of Lagos when the consignment arrived last Sunday.

He noted that preliminary interrogation of the suspect, revealed that he started the illicit trade three years ago and has been selling to fun seekers at clubs and lounges in Lekki and Lagos Island, some of which he identified as Quilox, Silver Fox, DNA and Hot box. Oseni also said beside the drug business, he organizes shows for artistes around Lagos and outside Nigeria.

Babafemi said a total of 10 parcels of Colorado weighing 2.5 kilogrammes concealed inside large tins of coffee and duvets linked to Oseni were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

He revealed that during a follow up search of his residence, operatives recovered some quantities of the same substance, a digital weighing scale and other paraphernalia.He said an Ikoyi based businessman, Nnadi Ikenna also linked to the shipment was away in South Africa when the consignment arrived. While operatives maintained surveillance around his 18 Okotie Eboh Close, Ikoyi residence, they also set their dragnet for him at the airport. He eventually arrived into the waiting arms of NDLEA officers last Thursday when he returned to the country on a Kenya Airlines flight at the Lagos airport. Babafemi said he accepted ownership of a part of the consignment in his statement.

The spokesman said NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA intercepted a cargo going to Nairobi, Kenya, adding that a search of the consignment revealed that various quantities of MDMA (Ecstasy) popularly known as ‘Molly’ and Rohypnol were concealed in a bag consisting of foodstuff.

He said an agent, Onydem Chinwe who presented it for export was arrested.

Babafemi equally disclosed that an attempt by another suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi to export quantities of Loud, a variant of cannabis, tramadol and rohypnol all weighing 7.8 kilogrammes concealed in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion was thwarted by vigilant operatives who intercepted him while preparing to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Muscat, Oman at the Lagos airport.

He said another suspect, Ekpenisi Wisdom was equally arrested while trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Oman with 6 kilogrammes skunk hidden in a bag of food stuff, noting that a follow up operation led to the arrest of a staff of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, Ibigbami Temitope who was fingered in the drug trafficking scheme.

He added that a consignment of 5.7 kilogrammes of codeine syrup going to the United Kingdom was last Thursday seized from a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Taiwo by NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA Ikeja.

Babafemi said a consignment of 8.5 kilogrammes skunk well concealed in a vehicle engine block going to Dubai, UAE was on Tuesday 18th July intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier companies in Lagos. At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, another container load of nitrous oxide popularly known as laughing gas, linked to a 30-year-old businessman, Stephen Eze, was seized last Tuesday; two containers of the same substance imported from China by the suspect had earlier been seized on 13th July at the Apapa port. The third shipment was intercepted during a joint examination of the container marked SUDU7431605 containing 8,336 cannisters of nitrous oxide and pressure release nozzles.

He said in Ondo state, two suspects: Francis Diamond, 26, and Adekunle Damilola, also 26, were arrested in Ita Ogbolu forest with 247.5 kilogrammes cannabis while a Golf car conveying the same substance weighing 308 kilogrammes was intercepted at Airport Junction along Akure-Ogbese Road on Wednesday 26th July with a suspect Farouk Umar, 38, arrested.

A 32-year-old suspect, Chukwuma Nnaji was also arrested with 47 kilogrammes skunk in a warehouse at Onuogba Eke, Ishielu local government area, Enugu state on Saturday 29th July, while 12kg of the same substance was recovered from a lock up shop during the raid.

A grandpa, Boniface Ogwurlobi, 62, and Chimezie Onyenjuru were arrested at Uli town Ihila LGA, Anambra state with a total of 49.415 kilogrammes cannabis sativa, 127.7 grammes of methamphetamine and 15 grammes of cocaine during a raid operation last Friday, while men of 9th Brigade, Nigerian Army transferred three suspects: Olasande Olutosin, Oleh Chiagozie and Obamuro Baiyeri arrested with 2,608.3 kilogrammes cannabis sativa and the truck conveying the substance to the Lagos state Command of NDLEA last Tuesday.

In Ogun state, operatives last Thursday uncovered another skuchies factory in Sagamu where a suspect Femi Isiaka was arrested. Recovered from the factory include: 37 kilogrammes cannabis; 195 pills of tramadol; 5,000 tabs of diazepam; 216 tabs of rophynol 216; 204 litres of skuchies; four fridges; four gas cylinders and one industrial cooker among other items.

Babafemi said no fewer than 156,380 pills of tramadol and other opioids were seized from two suspects: Abdulrazak Bala and Lawal Salisu when they were arrested along Gwagwalada – Abaji road in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen.Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa, Enugu, Anambra, Ondo, Lagos, FCT and Ogun Commands as well as those of DOGI for their resilience and commitment, charged them and their counterparts in other Commands to remain undaunted by the various machinations of drug cartels and barons who are daily frustrated and desperate due to the continued heat on them and their criminal trade.