NDLEA nabs Osun monarch for alleged drug trafficking

Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested the head of the Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.

The operatives also raided the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate headed by a couple, Agbakoba Mmadu, and Agbakoba Chinwe, as well as their associate, Okoye Maryjane, where large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said: “The raid carried out by a special operations unit of the agency followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking of cocaine within and outside Nigeria.

“The 54-year-old Agbakoba Mmadu was arrested at Ago Palace Way, Okota while his wife, Agbakoba Chinwe, 39, and associate, Okoye Maryjane, 31, who doubles as their stash keeper, were nabbed at Plot 2205, Eugene Ndubisi Close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, all on July 3, 2024.

“While seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilograms were recovered from Mmadu at Ago Palace Way, 122 compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42kg were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate, bringing the total seizure to 10.1 kilograms valued at over N2.1 billion in street value.

“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Benue State on July 4, intercepted a consignment of 350 grams of cocaine at a check point along Enugu road, Otukpo.

“The illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel.

“A swift follow up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony.

“Meanwhile, NDLEA officers on a stop and search operation along Ngurore-

The operatives also raided the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate headed by a couple, Agbakoba Mmadu, and Agbakoba Chinwe, as well as their associate, Okoye Maryjane, where large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered.

SOURCE: Vanguard