BREAKING: Photo: NDLEA Arrests Popular Nigerian Pastor, Wife With ’11kg Skunk’ Concealed
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recovered 11kg of skunk from Afolabi Hodonu, a 45-year-old pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach in Badagry, Lagos.
In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said Hodonu and his wife, Success, 35, were arrested on April 2 at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Seme border.
He said a search of their Honda Pilot SUV led to the discovery of the drugs concealed in hidden compartments.
“The arrest of the couple followed the apprehension of a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, at the same checkpoint on Monday 30th March, while conveying 24.5kg skunk from Seme border to Lagos,” the statement reads.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate involved in exporting cocaine to the United Kingdom.
He said the operation began on March 11 when officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 3.10kg of cocaine hidden in tins of palm kernel extract bound for the UK.
Two suspects handling the shipment, identified as Idris Amoo and Akinlami Adedoyin, were arrested at the airport.
Babafemi said a follow-up sting operation led to the arrest of their sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who was operating under a false identity.
He added that Joel’s arrest led to the capture of 52-year-old King Arinze, the syndicate’s alleged leader, who was tracked to a hideout in Isolo, Lagos.
“At his warehouse at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo where NDLEA operatives recovered 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment; industrial tools including a sealing machine, tin openers; paint sprays; 52 grams of cannabis sativa and a pack of hand gloves,” he said.
“Arinze has since confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to conceal the cocaine.”
In a separate operation in Borno, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested Aisha Adamu, 28, along the Gamboru-Ngala road.
He said she was allegedly supplying drugs to bandit groups operating between Nigeria’s north-east and Chad.
Babafemi said 4.3kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, was recovered from her.
SEIZURES ACROSS STATES
Babafemi said the agency recorded multiple seizures and arrests in other parts of the country.
In Adamawa, he said NDLEA operatives on patrol along Namtari road in Yola South intercepted a trailer conveying 48,000 tramadol pills on March 30. The driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, was arrested, while a follow-up operation led to the arrest of the suspected recipient, Idris Adamu.
In Osun, operatives arrested 60-year-old Idiatu Oladejo with 15kg of skunk in the Isale Osun area of Osogbo on April 1. On the same day, NDLEA officers, acting on intelligence, raided the Itaogbolu forest in Akure, Ondo, where 351kg of skunk and its seeds were recovered.
Also on April 1, Babafemi said the operatives arrested 66-year-old Aminu Usman Gembu at Aliade in Benue, recovering 28,600 capsules of tramadol from him.
In Edo, a suspect identified as Roland Owie, 37, was arrested on March 30 following a raid on his warehouse in Egbanke community, Orhionmwon LGA, where 1,378kg of skunk was recovered.
In Oyo, NDLEA operatives arrested Ayantola Omodunmomi, 40, also known as Iya Elle, at the Eleta area of Ibadan on April 1.
“Her arrest follows intelligence and surveillance on how she uses her 11-year-old daughter, Anjola, to deliver illicit drugs to her customers. At the time of her arrest, 45.6kg skunk was recovered from her warehouse,” the agency said.
