Five Arrested As NDLEA Seizes Over #194B Worth Of Cocaine In Lagos

The suspects arrested by the operatives

In what appears to be the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s anti-narcotic agency, five persons were arrested when Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), busted a major warehouse in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State where 1.8tons (1,855kg) of the illicit drug worth more than $278.3million (N194.8million) street value were seized.

According to a statement signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi on Monday, September 19, 2022, said at least, four drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager have been arrested in the well-coordinated and intelligence led operation that lasted for two days across different locations in Lagos state.

It was gathered that Kingpins of the cocaine cartel in custody include Messrs Soji Jibril, 69, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State; Emmanuel Chukwu, 65, who hails from Ekwulobia, Anambra State; Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo State; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa, Ondo State and Kelvin Smith, 42, a native of Kingston, Jamaica. They are all members of an international drug syndicate that the agency has been trailing since 2018.

The statement also disclosed that the warehouse, which is located at 6 Olukola Crescent, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, was raided on Sunday 18th September, 2022, while the barons were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday, September 19.

It was also gathered that preliminary investigation reveals the class A drugs were warehoused in the residential estate from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, as the illicit drugs were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums.

Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), who commended all the officers and men of the agency involved in the extensive investigation including those of the American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA), said the bust was a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they’ll all go down if they fail to realise that the game has changed.

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