How NDLEA Official Disguised As BDC Operator To Arrest Drug Kingpin, Five Others

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a fleeing drug kingpin, Yunana Fidelis operating at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos State.

He was arrested alongside six other members of the drug syndicate.

Fidelis, a member of staff of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) was arrested following his complicity in the smuggling of 1,584,000 tablets of Tramadol earlier seized by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Customs service personnel at the airport.

The NDLEA in a statement said the substance, imported into the country from Pakistan was smuggled through the airport tarmac using one of the vehicles of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO). It was intercepted at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Personnel Yard.

The seizure includes 17 cartons of 250mg Tramadol branded as “Tamra” weighing 669.70kg and five cartons of 225mg Tramadol under the brand name “Royal” with a gross weight of 217.15kg.

The NDLEA had initially arrested two suspects: Ofijeh John Mowa, a SAHCO driver and Nyam Gazu Alex, a security guard with NAHCO in connection with the seizure.

But further investigations by NDLEA operatives led to the arrest of Fidelis, Adesanwo Temitope; Owoseni Taiwo Temidayo; Fasoranti Shola and Bamigbade Jonathan.

The anti-drug agency disclosed that Fidelis had fled Lagos to Kaduna the moment their lid was blown open. He was said to have also deposited N19.8m cash with a BDC operator to be paid later into his bank account.

“After tracking him for days in Kaduna, on Friday 25th Fidelis relocated to Abuja where he was eventually arrested by NDLEA operatives at 7pm on Sunday 27th March while he was trying to collect N1, 000, 000.00 cash from an undercover agent who posed as a BDC operator.

“In addition to recovering the cash Fidelis deposited with the BDC operator in Lagos, the Agency had also placed a post no debit order on his identified bank accounts,” a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said on Wednesday.

Also, a professional methamphetamine cook, Reuben Bekweri, 34, has been arrested in Owerri while trying to distribute a kilogram of the illicit drug he cooked and packaged in seven nylon sachets in the Irete Area in Imo on March 26.

In Ado Ekiti, NDLEA operatives arrested one Mayowa Oluwanisomo, 42, in Zone 4, Embassy Island, Moferere area of the Ekiti state capital following credible intelligence that he deals in psychotropic substances.

Oluwanisomo was arrested on March 28 after his residence was searched and a total of 11, 570 tablets of Tramadol weighing 7.3kilograms were recovered.

The suspect had admitted ownership of the drug exhibits, adding that he graduated from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and Abuja campus of the Nigerian Law School in 2016.

“Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of MMIA, Imo and Ekiti state Commands for sustaining the offensive action against drug cartels in their respective areas of responsibility,” Babafemi said.