NDLEA raids factories in Lagos, Delta, Osun, arrests church officials, two ladies, seize 4,560kg skunk, ‘skucchies’
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 4,560 kilograms of skunk during their interdiction operations in Lagos, Adamawa and Osun states over the course of last week.
The NDLEA operatives also raided a ‘skucchies’ factory in Ogun state and arrested four members of a drug syndicate including two church officials, female staff of a courier company and another lady, involved in trafficking lethal opioid, fentanyl, in Delta state.
A statement by its spokesperson Mr. Femi BabaFemi, aid the anti-narcotics agency also carried out a bust on the fentanyl cartel operating from Warri, Delta state, barely a month after two members of another syndicate, Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Oliver Chigozie Uzoma were arrested at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha, Anambra State.
“This follows months of intelligence-led investigation of the syndicates behind the dangerous drug, which is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.”
Babafemi disclosed that two officials of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries (aka Mercy City Church), Warri, Delta state, Adewale Abayomi Ayeni, 39, and Ebipakebina Appeal, 41, linked to two intercepted consignments of the illicit drug have been arrested in Warri.
“While Ayeni is one of those managing the prayer call centre of the church, Ebipakebina is in charge of movement of international guests from the airport to the church.”
In addition, Babafemi reported that two female accomplices were arrested in Warri in the course of investigating the intercepted shipments including Naomi David, 28, who is a staff of United Parcel Services (UPS), and Stacy Njideka, also known as Nkiruka, 27, who is a business associate of Ayeni.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Agency on Wednesday 5th July, intercepted a Toyota Hilux vehicle marked EPE 863 XD along Ngurore-Mayo Belwa road, Adamawa State.
“A search of the van with two occupants: Kelvin Efe, 51, and Christian Ogaga, 42, shows that 118 cartoons of Indomie Noodles packs were used to conceal 544 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa, weighing 408kg hidden in a false compartment and meant for distribution in Yola, Mubi and Gombe.”
The NDLEA also reported that operatives on Saturday, July 1, arrested a suspect, Segun Odeyemi conveying 89 jumbo bags of skunk, while in another operation carried in Ogun state, last Thursday, July 6, ‘operatives raided a skucchies factory at Ajaka Sagamu where a suspect, Adekunle Adekola was arrested with exhibits.’