Barely 16 months after he was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine, a 48-year-old businessman, Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji, has been caught again by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos State, for importing 817 wraps of the same Class A drug weighing 19.40 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of N4.656 billion.
Ogbuji was arrested at the Lagos airport on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos.
The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the interception, recalled how Ogbuji was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, on 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.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12, Abuja, presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on July 13, 2023.
“Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of N3 million, which he paid and was set free.
“The court also ordered the forfeiture of the seized 1.986-kilogramme cocaine, his international passport, 14 US dollars and 9000 Uganda shillings found on him at the time of his arrest,” Babafemi disclosed.
Before his arrest on September 18, Thenewsbearer learnt that 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 reportedly 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 that 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.
The NDLEA spokesman said: “During an 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, adding that he never knew there could be a secondary search since he had presented his bag for search previously and nothing incriminating was found.
“He 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 the Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire.”
In his reaction to the arrest of Ogbuji, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA Strategic Command for an excellent job done.
He described the seizure of such a large consignment of cocaine at the airport as a milestone that would send a strong message to the international drug cartels trying to find footholds in Nigeria.
He said the NDLEA would continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country.
