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Tag: NDLEA

  • NDLEA Declares Nigerian Couple Running Drug Cartel From India Wanted Over Cocaine Trafficking

    NDLEA Declares Nigerian Couple Running Drug Cartel From India Wanted Over Cocaine Trafficking

    Emmanuel lkpeama

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a couple identified as Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade, also known as Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade, also known as Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke, wanted for allegedly running a cocaine cartel from India.

    The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement issued on Sunday said that the couple were declared wanted following the arrest of four members of the cartel in Lagos.

    Babafemi said that a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) was also recovered and that two houses already traced to the couple had been sealed for forfeiture to the Nigerian government.

    He said the two members of the cartel identified as Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan were arrested on April 3, following their bid to export 3.40kg cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight going to Oman through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja Lagos.

    Babafemi said, “While Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him for the head of the cartel, which investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun based in India.

    “Efforts to dismantle his network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow-up operations when another member of the syndicate, Hamed Abimbola Saheed who works directly with the baron was arrested on Tuesday 14th May at Abule Egba area of Lagos.

    “It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.”

    The NDLEA spokesperson said that during a search of Hamed’s house, the agency’s operatives recovered some phenacetine, a cutting agent for cocaine weighing 900 grams.

    “He confessed that the recovered substance was what was left of the consignment Imran was taking to Oman the day he was arrested,” Babafemi added.

    Babafemi said that his arrest led to a follow-up operation at the home of the couple at 20 Eyiaro Street, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos where another suspect was arrested and a new model Toyota RAV4 SUV marked FKJ-773 JJ belonging to Rashidat was recovered.

    He said an additional 400 grams of cocaine were recovered in addition to suitcases prepared to be used for illicit drug concealment, digital weighing scales and other paraphernalia.

  • Kogi NDLEA Arrests Four Suspected Gunrunners

    Kogi NDLEA Arrests Four Suspected Gunrunners

    The Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has handed over four  suspected criminals who were arrested along Okene/Lokoja-Abuja Expressway to the Police Command for further investigations.

    The NDLEA has arrested the four  suspects  on 17th September and were subsequently  interrogated  before handing them over to Kogi State  Police  command.

    The Kogi State Commander of NDLEA, Abdulkadir Fakai Abdullahi while handing over to   the police in Lokoja  yesterday  said two of the suspects were intercepted in a J-5 bus conveying 18 pump -action guns with 1300 cartridges/ammunition while the other two were arrested in a luxurious bus conveying 1000 live cartridges/ammunitions.

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    Fakai further explained  that the fight against illicit drug was everybody’s business, and on stakeholders to continue to support the agency at all times.

    The NDLEA boss highlighted  some of the achievements made by state command in the last three months to include, arrest of 56 suspects with seizure of assorted drugs, conviction of  seven accused persons and charging of 11 cases at the Federal High Court Lokoja.

    He commended  the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for the continued support of the state government and all other stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse.

    While receiving the items for further investigations and prosecution, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of criminal investigation department, Kogi state command, Aniefiok Wilson Akpa, lauded  the synergy that has been existing between the police and the NDLEA.

    He therefore, called on the public and other stakeholders including the media to always give timely information to enable security agencies take actions.