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NDLEA arrests drug baron linked to Saudi cocaine smuggling attempts

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested Suleiman Aremu, a suspected drug baron, over attempts to smuggle cocaine to Saudi Arabia.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesperson, said Aremu, also known as Barryshine, came under the agency’s watch after four failed attempts to export drugs to Saudi Arabia and Qatar through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, between 2022 and 2024.

In a statement on Friday, Babafemi said Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, a female passenger on Qatar airlines flight to Saudi Arabia, was arrested at the airport on November 13, 2022, in possession of 400g of cocaine concealed in female shoes.

The agency said upon investigation, it was found that one Abdullahi Olarenwaju Ramon, Aremu’s brother, hired Sidika.

“Further facts emerged that the flight tickets and other travel expenses of the suspect were sourced by Alhaji Suleiman Ganiu Aremu,” the statement reads.

“A few days after the arrest of Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, another drug mule, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga was also arrested on November 24, 2022, with the same quantity of cocaine, 400 grams, concealed in male footwears while going to the same destination, Saudi Arabia.

“The suspect, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga confessed that one Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan (a.k.a Teacher) who was later arrested and convicted by the court, hired him for Suleiman. Lawal further alleged that Wasiu Gbolahan linked him up with the baron through one Igbono, who was later unveiled through investigation as Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye (a.k.a Igbono, Murphy, Femi Iwaya, Ade Iwaya, Baba Eje and Ejeoto).

“While investigation of the two cases subsisted and the manhunt for the baron was ongoing, two drug mules were arrested at the MMIA on June 21, 2024 on their way to Doha, Qatar.

“One of the suspects who was later identified as Aikhomoun Daniel (a.k.a Oladapo Olanrewaju) expelled in observation custody a total of 90 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.022kg, which he ingested, while the second suspect, Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji excreted 60 wraps of cocaine with a total weight of 662 grams.

“Further investigation later revealed that the two arrested couriers, Aikhomoun Daniel and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji were recruited by the same Igbono who works for the baron and featured in 2022 during the arrest of Ajesegiri Kehinde Sidika and Lawal Lateef Oyenuga.

“Financial investigation conducted by the Agency also linked the baron Suleiman to the arrested suspects and two of his associates who recruit traffickers for him: Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon, both currently at large.”

Babafemi said the agency blocked the bank accounts linked to members of the cartel after which Suleiman was eventually taken into custody on August 26, 2024 for further investigation.

The NDLEA said Suleiman, who resides in Lagos and Paris, claimed he is into property development and hotel management.

He also claimed that his regular visits to Saudi Arabia was to perform the lesser hajj.

The agency said Dipeolu Isaac, judge of the federal high court in Lagos, has granted an application by the NDLEA for the extension of Suleiman’s detention for 30 days.

The judge also granted the agency’s request to declare Suleiman’s — associates Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon — wanted.

Crime

NDLEA arrests Canadian at Lagos airport for ‘importing bags of cannabis’

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The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Adrienne Munju, a Canadian, allegedly importing a large consignment of synthetic cannabis.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the 41-year-old suspect was arrested on October 3 during the inward clearance of passengers on a KLM airline flight from Canada at terminal 1 of the Lagos airport.

Babafemi added that the Munju was caught with 74 parcels of the illicit substance weighing 35.20 kg stuffed in two of her three bags.

“In her statement, she claimed she was recruited to traffic the consignment through an online platform for 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos. She said she took the offer because she needed the money to pay for her ongoing master’s degree programme in Canada,” the NDLEA statement reads.

Similarly, the anti-drug agency intercepted 13,298,000 pills of opioids and 338,253 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup at the Port Harcourt ports, Onne, Rivers.

Babafemi said the seized consignment is worth over “N9 billion in street value” and included Tramadol, Tramaking Quick Action Tramadol, Tamol-X, Royal Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, among others.

He said that the opioids were recovered in three containers coming from India, targeted by the NDLEA during a 100 per cent joint examination of the cargoes.

“NDLEA operatives at the Tincan seaport in Lagos on Thursday, October 3, intercepted 100 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 50kg. The consignment was packed in 20 parcels, each in five jumbo bags concealed in a container with four units of imported vehicles that came from Canada,” the statement reads.

“Though the container had earlier been cleared out of the ESS Libra Bonded Terminal in Ikorodu but based on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives were able to trace it to a warehouse in Ikorodu where the illicit consignments were discovered in one of the imported vehicles, a Toyota Sienna bus. A suspect, Abubakar Shuaibu Ibrahim has already been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.”

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Crime

EFCC arrests 43 internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested 43 suspected internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

In a statement on Thursday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the suspects were arrested during a sting operation on Wednesday at Rumuekeni and Iwofe areas of the state.

“They were arrested for alleged internet fraud following actionable intelligence surveillance on their suspected involvement in computer-related offences,” the statement reads.

“Items recovered from them include different brands of mobile phones, laptops, international passports and Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards of different banks, five vehicles, two motorcycles and a Point of Sale, POS, machine.

“The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.”

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Crime

NDLEA seizes 1000kg of illicit substances, nabs 420 suspects in Kaduna

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Kaduna State Command, said its operatives have seized 1,045.93 kg of various illicit substances and arrested 420 suspects in the third quarter of the year.

Its commander, Mr Samaila Danmalam, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Kaduna.

Danmalam said, “The command had within the period under review arrested a total of 420 suspects, comprising 404 males and 16 females.

“The figure represents both drug dealers, drug users and traffickers.”

The commander also disclosed that the command has made seizures of various illicit substances.

He said, “The illicit substances included Cocaine, Cannabis Sativa, Rohypnol, Tramadol, Methamphetamine, and other psychotropic substances grossly weighing 1,045.93 kg.

“The command seized a total of 1,393 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and equally seized four locally made arms in the course of its numerous operations in the period being reported.

“The command equally secured the conviction of 30 drug offenders and charged a total of 54 suspects, while investigations on others are ongoing.”

Danmalam said in its non-kinetic approach to combating the drug menace through drug demand reduction activities, the command carried out various sensitization and awareness programmes.

“It counselled 50 drug users while it rehabilitated 50 drug-dependent persons, who successfully recovered and were reintegrated into mainstream society,” he stated.

He said the command would continue to combat illicit drug trafficking even as he appealed for timely and useful information for quick response and proactive measures.

Last month, NDLEA operatives intercepted consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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