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NDLEA ARRESTS NOTORIUS DRUG BARON

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 The National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a suspected notorious
drug baron, Azubuike Odugwe, over unlawful importation of 1.025kg of cocaine. The
agency’s Spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said in a statement Friday that the
arrest was made during inward screening of passengers on Emirates airline
flight from Dubai.
It said that
Odugwe was found with wraps of powdery substances that tested positive for
cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

“Odugwe, who
is currently on bail over several drug charges brought against him by the
Agency, was found with wraps of cocaine at the MMIA, Lagos. The wraps of cocaine
were packed in duty-free polythene inside his luggage. This mode of drug
concealment in duty-free bags is similar to the last drug charge involving
him,’’ the spokesperson said.
The
statement also said that the suspected drug kingpin told investigators during
interrogation that he had made a big mistake. It said that Odugwe had pleaded
not guilty to previous charges where drugs were not found on him, alleging that
his enemies were behind his trial.
The agency
also said that Ahmadu Garba, an NDLEA commander, described the arrest as a sign
of what to expect in the future and promised to make the airport difficult for
drug traffickers.
“The suspect
travelled to Dubai on Sept. 6 and was arrested on Sept. 10 on arrival at the
Lagos airport,” Garba said.
Ahmadu
Giade, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, was also quoted as saying that
the arrest of Odugwe was rewarding for the country’s fight against drugs.
“The game is
up for the suspect who has been charged to court for sponsoring several drug
couriers.
“This latest
arrest is like the icing on the outstanding charges against him. He claimed to
be an importer of legitimate goods but his source of income had been exposed.
“We shall
diligently prosecute and dispossess him of illegal drug proceeds,’’ he said.
On May 12,
2010,Odugwe was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Liman at the Federal High
Court Ikoyi, Lagos, on three counts charge of conspiracy, aiding and unlawful
importation of heroin. The accused pleaded not guilty to all counts of the
charge and was remanded in prison custody.
Odugwe was
nabbed in a follow-up operation to the arrest of Josephine Olehi who was caught
with 3.150kg of heroin at the Lagos airport on Dec. 29, 2009 on arrival from Dubai
aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight.
He had also
been linked with two other cases involving heroin trafficking. He was arrested
for sponsoring one Anagozie John Kennedy to Pakistan on July 26, 2007 to import
1.296 kilogrammes of substances that tested positive for heroin.
Similarly,
on March 11, 2009, Odugwe was rearrested after another foiled attempt by him to
take delivery of 3kg of heroin from a drug courier, Sodiq Hameed.
The drug was
packed in a polythene bag and concealed inside a duty-free polythene bag
similar to the mode of concealment adopted by Josephine Olehi.
The
statement further said investigation conducted by the Agency then pointed to
the accused as the mastermind of several cases involving unlawful importation
of narcotics into the country, adding that Odugwe will be charged to court
soon.
Source: NAN.
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