Alleged billionaire drug baron now in NDLEA net
…Another arrested suspect offers $3000 bribe for freedom
By our reporter
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday disclosed that it had taken into custody an alleged drug baron, identified as Hakeem Babatunde Salami.
NDLEA described him as ”the arrowhead of ‘Tajudeen Babatunde Abioye Transnational Criminal Organization’.”
It said the operation to capture him took several weeks and traversed countries where Salami was alleged to have illicit drug business dealings.
NDLEA said he was allegedly involved in dealing in cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ephedrine in Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.
In a statement, NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said Salami was arrested by operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Tuesday, 10 October, 2023.
According to the director, the suspect exited Nigeria for South Africa following the arrest of one of syndicate members, identified as Suleiman Babatunde Oba at the Lagos airport on 25 August.
Oba was picked up, NDLEA explained, over an attempt to export 25.10kg of ephedrine to South Africa.
Aside Oba, one other member of the global syndicate, Godwin Edet Mathew. NDLEA said, is also in its custody—in what appears to have been a successful push against alleged members of the group.
Babafemi’s statement read: “Operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos on Tuesday 10th October succeeded in taking into custody, Hakeem Babatunde Salami, the arrowhead of ‘Tajudeen Babatunde Abioye Transnational Criminal Organization’ involved in the illicit trade of several narcotics including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ephedrine between Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Europe.
“He fled Nigeria to South Africa upon the arrest of a member of his syndicate, Suleiman Babatunde Oba at the Lagos airport on August 25 over an attempt to export 25.10kg of ephedrine to South Africa.
“Hakeem Babatunde Salami was however smoked out of hiding through partnership with South African authorities and other intelligence and investigative mechanisms. While some of his luxury vehicles have been seized and his home in Surulere Lagos sealed, other members of the cartel already in custody include Suleiman and Godwin Edet Mathew.
“In his statement, he claimed he was into the importation of building materials from China to Nigeria and used to sell gold in South Africa before delving into the illicit drug trade about two years ago.”
The statement added: “In the same vein, the head of another cartel, Okafor Ikechukwu Williams (aka Jantu) and his wife, Okafor Ifeyinwa Grace were also taken into custody on Thursday 5th October when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout at 9 Awa Street, Ago Palace, Okota area of Lagos where they recovered 27.566 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a blue box and two sacks, ready for export to Europe and Asia.
“Their Lexus RX350 marked ABJ 512 AY parked in the house was also seized during the operation. Their arrest followed weeks of intelligence gathering about the activities of the criminal network.
“At the Abuja airport, operatives on Friday 6th October arrested a drug trafficker, Nwofor Ejiogu Charles, 45, during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR 1432 to Doha. After a body scan revealed he ingested cocaine, he was placed under observation during which he excreted 75 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.653kg. At the point of his arrest, Nwofor who was the last passenger to board his flight offered to compromise an NDLEA officer with $3,000 to free him.
“The following day, Saturday 7th October, another trafficker, Nwufo Charles Okwudili, 45, was also arrested while attempting to board Lufthansa Airlines flight LH 0595 to Paris, France via Frankfurt, Germany. After being put through a body scanner, he was taken into the recovery room where he excreted 96 wraps of heroin he ingested with a total weight of 1.413kg.”
READ ALSO: Moghalu: No Govt official would drive imported cars if…
Apparently rejoicing, NDLEA noted that it was a successful week as it had arrested “two wanted heads of transnational criminal organisations with multi-billion-naira worth of illicit drugs and assets seized from them after weeks of intelligence-led operations across the country and outside Nigeria.
“The arrest of the wanted drug lords came on the heels of the interception of consignments of cocaine and heroin buried in the bellies of two traffickers heading to Paris, France and Doha, Qatar by NDLEA officers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja.”
For more news update follow us on www.dailytimesng.com
