Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have apprehended an artistes’ manager and his accomplice, known for their notorious involvement in distributing illicit drugs to partygoers at VIP nightclubs and lounges in different parts of Lagos.
In a statement released by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, it was revealed that the arrests were made following intelligence about a shipment of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, arriving from Los Angeles, United States.
The first person to be arrested was Oseni Babatunde (aka Papalampa), who was found in possession of the drug consignment at his residence in Lekki, specifically at No. 3 Ope Daniel Taiwo Street, off Chisco Bus-Stop. Preliminary interrogation of the suspect revealed that he had been engaged in the illegal drug trade for three years, supplying various clubs and lounges in Lekki and Lagos Island, including popular establishments such as Quilox, Silver Fox, DNA, and Hot box. Additionally, Oseni was involved in organizing shows for artists within Lagos and beyond Nigeria.
During the operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted 10 parcels of Colorado, weighing a total of 2.5 kilograms, cleverly concealed inside large tins of coffee and duvets that were linked to Oseni. Furthermore, a search of his residence led to the discovery of additional quantities of the illicit substance, a digital weighing scale, and other drug-related paraphernalia.
Nnadi Ikenna, an Ikoyi-based businessman and accomplice connected to the drug shipment, was initially out of the country in South Africa when the consignment arrived. However, NDLEA operatives-maintained surveillance on his residence at 18 Okotie Eboh Close, Ikoyi, and eventually apprehended him at the Lagos airport upon his return to Nigeria via a Kenya Airlines flight.
In another separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, NDLEA officers intercepted a cargo destined for Nairobi, Kenya, which contained MDMA (Ecstasy) and Rohypnol, concealed within a bag of foodstuff. The agent responsible for attempting to export the illicit drugs, Onydem Chinwe, was arrested.
Further efforts to smuggle drugs were also thwarted. Igboma Ifeanyi was caught while trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Muscat, Oman, with quantities of Loud (a variant of cannabis), tramadol, and Rohypnol, concealed in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion. Similarly, Ekpenisi Wisdom was arrested attempting to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Oman with 6 kilograms of skunk hidden in a bag of foodstuff. The investigation led to the arrest of a staff member of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, named Ibigbami Temitope, who was involved in the drug trafficking scheme.
In other separate operations across different locations, the NDLEA successfully seized various quantities of drugs destined for international destinations and arrested several individuals involved in drug trafficking. These operations included the interception of a shipment of codeine syrup headed for the United Kingdom, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) intended for Dubai, UAE, and cannabis seizures in different parts of Nigeria.
Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, lauded the resilience and dedication of the officers and men from various commands who carried out these successful operations. He urged them and their counterparts in other commands to remain undeterred in their pursuit of drug cartels and barons, who are growing increasingly desperate and frustrated due to the continuous efforts to dismantle their criminal operations.
