The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it
has organised a manhunt for a Lagos socialite and suspected drug
baroness wanted in connection with cocaine trafficking.
The suspect, Fumilola Arike Ogbuaya, also known as Arike Fumilola
Ogundipe, allegedly was involved in smuggling 1.595kg of cocaine from
Murtala Muhammed International Airport to Saudi Arabia in February 2017.
A statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju said the agency is also
investigating Mrs. Ogbuaya’s multi-billion naira assets, allegedly the
proceeds of drug sales.
The anti-narcotics agency commenced investigation into Mrs. Ogbuaya
after arresting one Odeyemi Omolara Morayo, also known as Ariyo Monsurat
Olabisi, for drug trafficking. Investigation into Mr. Morayo implicated
Mrs. Ogbuaya, according to the NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport.
He said that the NDLEA then invited the Lagos socialite in for
questioning to no avail. NDLEA officers subsequently stormed her Lagos
home, but the alleged drug trafficker was nowhere to be found.
“The agency is therefore investigating several landed properties
worth several billions of naira traced to Mrs Fumilola Arike Ogbuaya
a.k.a. Arike Fumilola Ogundipe in Lagos, Ogun and Osun States,” he said.
“The assets include Arike Plaza, some plots of land, and buildings in
strategic locations. The Lagos socialite, who is a distributor of
alcoholic drinks, is needed by the NDLEA in an ongoing investigation.
She hails from Ilesa, Osun State.”
Impressed with the level of investigation in the ongoing case, NDLEA
Chief Executive Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah has vowed to pursue the case
to a logical conclusion and to trace all illicit drug proceeds.
“The agency is building capacity for elaborate investigation and this
is a test case of pressing beyond a drug mule to the financiers of drug
trafficking. We are determined to dislodge drug trafficking cartels and
also trace their ill-gotten wealth which must be forfeited to the
federal government,” Mr. Abdallah said.
He called on members of the public with information as to the whereabouts of Mrs. Ogbuaya to report to the nearest NDLEA office.
The NDLEA boss noted that asset forfeiture was an important
requirement in the NDLEA Act and assured that no stone would be left
unturned in the race for the total incapacitation of drug traffickers.
It
will be recalled that Odeyemi Omolara Morayo, a 57-year-old grandmother
and and textile merchant, at Balogun market, was caught in connection
with
cocaine smuggling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the Murtala Mohammed
International Airport, Lagos. The suspect, who
claimed to be going on a pilgrimage to Jedda, Saudi Arabia had all the
paraphernalia of a pilgrim save for the narcotic content of her luggage.
NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba explained that the
two parcels of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine
were carefully concealed inside her luggage. In his words, “a female
passenger, Odeyemi Omolara Morayo with a valid Egypt air ticket from
Lagos to Saudi Arabia had been arrested with 1.595kg of cocaine. The
cocaine which was concealed in a false bottom of her bag was
discovered during routine check on passengers at the departure hall. We
had to cut the bag open to recover the cocaine because of the way it was
neatly concealed. She was immediately arrested and the case is
currently under investigation”.
In her statement, the suspect said that her friend and customer was
the one that introduced her into drug trafficking.
“I am a textile
merchant at Balogun market, Lagos. I have two children and my daughter
is married with children. Recently, I told my friend that I loved to go
on pilgrimage this year and she promised to sponsor my trip. That was
how she collected my international passport, processed my travel
documents and bought return ticket on Egypt airline. The only favour she
requested from me was that I should take a bag to Saudi. She also told
me that somebody will collect the bag from me at Jeddah. It was an empty
bag so I kept my personal effects inside it. On getting to the airport,
officers discovered cocaine inside the bag during search and I was
arrested” Omolara stated. She hails from Ogun State.
In his reaction, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col
Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah described the suspect’s action as
condemnable.
“Smuggling cocaine to Saudi Arabia under any guise is
condemnable. It is good that she was arrested here because drug
trafficking attracts capital punishment in Saudi. Apart from saving her
from execution in Saudi, the prompt arrest also protected our country
from disrepute. The Agency will not relent in the fight against illicit
drug production, trafficking and abuse” Abdallah stated.
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