Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a pastor and his wife in Lagos after discovering 11 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in hidden compartments of their vehicle.
The suspects, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, 45, allegedly in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry, and his wife, Mrs Success Hodonu, 35, were apprehended on Thursday, April 2, at the Gbaji checkpoint.
A statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said a search of the couple’s Honda Pilot SUV led to the recovery of the illicit substance, carefully hidden within modified sections of the vehicle.
“The pastor in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry in Lagos state, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, 45, and his wife, Mrs. Success Hodonu, 35, were on Thursday 2nd April arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint.
“A search of their Honda Pilot SUV led to the recovery of blocks of skunk weighing 11kg concealed in hidden parts of their vehicle, ” he said.
Babafemi said the arrest followed an earlier interception at the same checkpoint on Monday, March 30, when operatives apprehended a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, while transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk from Seme border to Lagos.
He added that investigations into the seizure reportedly led to the arrest of the cleric and his wife.
“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 development was part of a series of operations conducted by the anti-narcotics agency across the country within the past week,” Babafemi said.
