By Femi Adewale
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended an ex-convict, Christian Ogbuji, for importing 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40kg with an estimated value of N4.6billion at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
This is contained in a statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the arrest came barely 16 months after Ogbuji was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.
He said that the 48-year-old businessman was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA), Abuja, on Wednesday May 10, 2023.
This, he said was upon his arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951 for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.986kg.
Babafemi said that the suspect was arraigned before Federal High Court 12 Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on July 13, 2023.
He said that Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of N3 million which he paid and was set free.
He, however, said that the court also ordered the forfeiture of the seized 1.986 kilograms cocaine, his international passport, 14 US dollars and 9000 Uganda shillings found on him at the time of his arrest.
“Not done with crime, Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport on Wednesday September 18 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos.
“The suspect had approached the joint examination table with a black travelling bag which was searched by an NDLEA operative who cleared the luggage.
“In a dubious move, Ogbuji sneaked back to the carousel area to put inside the cleared bag a black backpack he left on the conveyor’s belt.
“As he made his way out of the arrival hall, vigilant NDLEA officers intercepted him and subjected him to a secondary search.
“It was then large wraps of excreted cocaine were found concealed inside the backpack hidden in the black travelling bag that was earlier found with the suspect.
“A total of 817 pellets of cocaine excreted by many traffickers in Addis Ababa weighing 19.40kg belonging to different members of a drug cartel were recovered,”he said..
According to Babafemi, during interview with the suspect, he stated that he initially left the backpack containing the drug at the carousel area as a strategy to beat NDLEA operatives.
He added that the suspect said he never knew there could be a secondary search since he had presented his bag for search earlier and nothing incriminating was found.
“The suspect claimed he had to procure a new international passport to continue his criminal trade.
“Investigation revealed Ogbuji is an unrepentant kingpin within the network of drug cartels operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria and others in the West African sub-region like Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire,”he said.
Reacting, the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA Strategic Command for an excellent job done.
Marwa added that the seizure of such a large consignment of cocaine at the airport was a milestone that would send a strong message to the international drug cartels trying to find footholds in Nigeria.
He said the Agency would continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country.
