The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Lekki-based artistes’ manager and his Ikoyi businessman accomplice who specialize in the distribution of illicit drugs at VIP nightclubs and lounges in the Lekki and Island areas of Lagos state.
According to a statement by Mr. Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, the arrests were made following intelligence about a shipment of Colorado, a potent strain of synthetic cannabis, arriving from Los Angeles, United States.
Oseni Abdulraheem Ayodeji 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 on Sunday 23rd July
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During preliminary interview with the suspect, the statement said he confessed that he started the illicit trade three years ago and has been selling to patrons of clubs and lounges in Lekki and Lagos Island, some of which he identified as Quilox, Silver Fox, DNA and Hotbox. Oseni said besides the drug business, he also organizes shows for artistes around Lagos and outside Nigeria.
A total of ten parcels of Colorado weighing 2.50kg concealed inside large tins of coffee and duvets linked to Oseni were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos International Airport. During a follow up search of his residence, operatives recovered some quantities of the same substance, a digital weighing scale and other paraphernalia.
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An Ikoyi-based businessman, Nnadi Kingsley 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 on 27th July when he returned to the country on a Kenya Airlines flight at the Lagos airport. Kingsley, in his statement accepted ownership of a part of the consignment.
Other arrests made by NDLEA
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos Airport intercepted a cargo going to Nairobi, Kenya. 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. An agent, Onydem Chinwe Florence who presented it for export was arrested.
Also, an attempt by another suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi to export quantities of Loud, a variant of Cannabis, Tramadol and Rohypnol all weighing 7.8kg 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.
Another suspect, Ekpenisi Wisdom Pious was equally arrested while trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Oman with 6.00kg skunk hidden in a bag of food stuff.
A follow up operation led to the arrest of a staff of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, Ibigbami Temitope Oluwatobi who was fingered in the drug trafficking scheme.
A consignment of 5.70kg codeine syrup going to the United Kingdom was on 27th July seized from a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Taiwo Atinuke by NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos Airport.
Equally, a consignment of 8.5kg skunk well concealed in a vehicle engine block going to Dubai, UAE was on 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 on 25th July.
Two containers of the same substance imported from China by the suspect was earlier 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.
