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NDLEA recovers hard drugs worth N4.8b in Lagos warehouse
NDLEA has recovered hard drugs worth N4.8 billion from a warehouse in Lagos.
Its spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi stated on Sunday in Abuja that the warehouse is tucked in the popular International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos.
He added that NDLEA operatives raided the warehouse owned by a wanted billionaire drug baron on Saturday, Aug. 19.
He stated that the raid yielded 1.4 million pills of tramadol (225mg), weighing 826kg and 3.2 million pills of codeine with gross weight of 3,360kg.
Babafemi stated that 2,841 cartons of codeine syrup containing 28,410 litres of the substance in 284,100 bottles were also recovered from the warehouse.
“The drugs have a combined street value of N4,820,500,000,’’ he stated.
Babafemi stated also that during the operation that lasted hours, a suspect, Paulinus Ojukwu, the Chief Security Officer to the wanted drug baron was arrested and was assisting in on-going investigation.
“The wanted drug baron and operator of the warehouse parades himself as an automobile spare parts dealer.
“The latest drug warehouse bust is coming on the heels of the arrest of a drug baroness, Faith Nwankwo who was nabbed on Wednesday, Aug. 9 with 2.8 million pills of `tramaking’.
“ `Tramaking’ is a brand of tramadol in 225mg and 250mg
“Some of the drugs were recovered from Faith’s residence at House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, FESTAC Town area of Lagos.
“Others were recovered from her warehouse located at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos,’’ Babafemi stated.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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