How our Men arrested wanted drug baron whos on the run for 17 years – Gen Buba Marwa
How our Men arrested wanted drug baron whos on the run for 17 years – Gen Buba Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a wanted 59-year-old alleged drug baron, in his hideout in Ojo area of Lagos over N1.4billion worth of seized illicit drugs.
The NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, made this known while addressing newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
Marwa said that the suspected drug dealer ‘s arrest came after 17 years of hiding to ship illicit drugs worth billions of naira across the world.
The NDLEA boss detailed how operatives of the agency’s ‘Special Operations Unit’ had been on the trail of the suspect.
This, he said, followed an Interpol red notice against him and information from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea.
According to Marwa, the major development that warranted this special briefing pertains to the arrest of a drug lord who’s wanted across the world as the leader of an international drug trafficking organisation.
”I am therefore pleased to announce this significant breakthrough in our efforts to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates operating within the country.
“As we said four years ago when we began the reform of the NDLEA, our prime targets are drug barons and other important figures that organise drug trafficking rings.
“On Feb.12, we achieved that objective in the successful arrest of the suspect in his hideout in Lagos.
“He has been under NDLEA investigation before his arrest.
“As a result, we have comprehensive intelligence on his activities, and incontrovertible facts that he is a notorious drug lord who recruited young Nigerians as couriers to smuggle illicit substances into the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
“Our records reveal that many Nigerians apprehended outside the country for drug-related offences were linked to him.
“Furthermore, we have established that he laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods.
“Following his arrest, a search of his residence led to the recovery of multiple Nigerian international passports belonging to different individuals, many of which contained Korean visas.
” Additionally, we recovered some illicit substances in a storehouse at the back of his house,”he said.
While unmasking the suspect’s leadership role in the drug underworld, the NDLEA boss said: “the suspect is not a typical domestic drug baron; he is an international trafficker operating both from Nigeria and abroad”.
Marwa said that his dossier indicated that he served a one-year prison sentence in the Republic of Korea in 2007 and was deported to Nigeria in 2008.
He, however, added that inspite of this, the suspect continued his illicit trade, remaining actively involved in drug trafficking operations to the Far East.
“Presently, he is wanted in the Republic of Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences in collaboration with his accomplices.
“An INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his arrest and extradition to the country for offences committed between 2023 and 2024.
“From a series of interdictions, it has been established that the suspect is the ringleader of a drug trafficking organisation responsible for smuggling narcotics into the People’s Republic of Korea.
“He has been orchestrating operations remotely by giving instructions to drug mules and domestic suppliers who are members of his syndicate.
“They are spread across Cameroon, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia and other East and Southern African countries,”he said.
The NDLEA boss further gave insights into what investigations had unearthed about Ogbonnaya’s illicit trade activities.
According to him, On Oct. 5, 2023, at a location in Burkina Faso, the suspect dispatched 6,051.06g of skunk, concealed in dried chillies and jujube, to a Korean, Kim Dong-Wook at a designated address in Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea.
” The package arrived at Incheon Airport on Oct. 19, 2023 at 07:20 am via Air France.
“Investigation reveals that while residing in Nigeria, he directed his drug couriers, to smuggle a total of 5kg of methamphetamine into South Korea via overseas flights, between December 2023 and April 2024.
“In recent time alone, he has sent illicit drugs worth over N1.4billion in street value to South Korea.
“He maintains another domestic courier, who delivers for him drug consignments to a warehouse operated by anothetr suspect, a Nigerian who is his supply manager in South Korea.
“As of now, two arrest warrants have been issued against the suspect by the Seoul Central District Court in January and June 2024.
“These warrants charge him with importing narcotic drugs in violation of Article 3-7 of South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act, an offence punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment,” he maintained.
The NDLEA dhairman assured Nigerians of the agency’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria does not serve as a base for international drug trafficking operations.
“We will continue our relentless fight against illicit drug networks and their financiers, in line with our mandate to safeguard public health and national security.
“The arrest of this suspect is therefore an affirmation of our resolve to work with our international partners.
“This is to ensure no drug baron finds Nigeria a comfort zone to distribute illicit substances within the country or traffic them to other countries,”he said.(NAN)
In a statement, titled ‘’The Tenure of IGP Egbetokun: The Controversy over the Extension of Tenure,’’ Ehindero also said President Bola Tinubu reserved the right to decided who to work with as IGP.
‘’In the case of Egbetokun, I know him very well, he was the ADC to President Tinubu while I was the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Zone 2, Lagos and Ogun states while Mr. Okiro was the Commissioner of Police of Lagos State in the year 2001.
‘’If President Tinubu chooses to work with him for the duration of four years and that is backed by law, so be it. He is his choice. You cannot by any yardstick say Egbetokun is incompetent or not qualified for the job.
‘’Competence backed by law should be the overriding factor in the appointment and tenure of an Inspector General of Police. Let Egbetokun serve his four years tenure extension in peace. He deserves it by virtue of his competence, performance and academic qualifications,’’ Ehindero said.
Speaking further, he said: ‘’The extension of the tenure of Inspectors General of Police had always been controversial. My tenure extensions twice in 2005 for one year beginning from March 2006 and 2007 for three months were not without controversies.
‘’In fact, the President and I were taken to court for my tenure elongation. At the end of the day, the court ruled that it was a non-issue and dismissed the case. At that time in 2006, there were no legislations in relation to the tenure elongation of an Inspector General of Police other than the Civil Service Rules and the Police Act and Regulation, CAP 359, Laws of The Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
‘’Ever since, there had been series of legislation permitting the elongation of the service of an Inspector General of Police. You have the Police Act,2020 and the Police Amended Act 2024. The latter Act of 2024 allows the Inspector General of Police to enjoy an uninterrupted tenure of four years irrespective of his age of over sixty years or thirty-five years’ service.
‘’I agree with Mr. Okiro, Inspector General of Police Rtd when he said, for reasons of policy implementation, the need to prevent a competent Inspector General of Police from spending ten months or less than two years, as some have done in the past, because of age, the four-year tenure for the Inspector General of Police is welcomed. In which case there will be no policy somersault. ‘’As regards those officers that are aggrieved in relation to the tenure elongation, the crisis is accentuated by the bastardisation and the confusion about the date of enlistment and the date of appointment.
‘’How these could be mixed up is unfathomed by me. If you enlisted as a constable, and acquired, in the course of your service, academic credentials that qualify you to be appointed as a Superior Police Officer, your date of enlistment supersedes your date of appointment.”
‘’No doubt about this. On attaining 60 years of age or 35 years in service you must retire. The date of enlistment supersedes the date of appointment. Of course, for those appointed as Assistant Superintendent of Police who had never served in the force, the dates of enlistment coincide with their dates of appointment.
News
Why I stepped aside as Lagos Assembly Speaker – Meranda’s full resignation speech
Why I stepped aside as Lagos Assembly Speaker – Meranda’s full resignation speech
I wish to let every one of you know that I have made a personal sacrifice towards resolving the leadership crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly.
I recognise the role my family has played and continues to play in entrenching democracy, good governance, and the betterment of our people. I will never depart from the well-established path of honor, dignity, integrity, and service as personified by my late father.
Please permit me, dear colleagues, to restate my position as expressed in the newspaper publication, where I stated as follows: It is with heavy responsibility that I wish to resign my position as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly with effect from this day, March 3, 2025. I took this decision carefully and with firm consideration. On one hand, I accepted the position of Speaker on January 13, 2025, and on the other hand, I resigned the position as it is threatening the democracy of this House.
As good people of Lagos, our mandate is to protect the good people of Lagos State and ensure good governance.
I feel that I have demonstrated leadership and selfless sacrifice by resigning in order to protect these resources that we have suffered to build. With your unwavering support, I take this step to step down as the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
I cherish the solidarity that I have enjoyed and that has been given to me by my honorable members. I do not leave out the management and staff of the Lagos State House of Assembly. I want to thank you for your support and collaboration.
As short as it is, this is a memorable event. I need you to permit me to resign as the Rt. Honorable Speaker, and I shall continue to serve my good people of Apapa Constituency 1 in particular and the entire Lagos State in general.
Thank you for finding me worthy to lead this distinguished and honourable Assembly. I am not a quitter; however, I took this bold decision in order to save this legislative institution from further unnecessary conflict and embarrassment.
Police restore Meranda’s security detail, explain withdrawal
Accordingly, I have agreed to yet again make a personal sacrifice by stepping down as the Speaker of this great Assembly.
Dear distinguished and gallant honourable members of this 10th Assembly, occasionally, we are confronted by overwhelming challenges and conflicts, but as responsible leaders, we must not break down the legislative House that we collectively built in pursuit of justice and fairness.
For those who have been unfairly referred to for standing on the side of fair play, kindly take note that there will always be an opportunity to right any wrong.
I appreciate the spectrum of solidarity that I received through phone calls, messages, and visits throughout my short tenure.
I sincerely thank you for your understanding and support, just as we know that party decisions are supreme.
At this point, I take a bow as your Speaker, and I step down as your Speaker for this great House.
News
BREAKING; President Tinubu approves 11 Universities (see full list and locations)
BREAKING; President Tinubu approves 11 Universities (see full list and locations)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), at its third meeting of the year on Monday, approved provisional licenses for 11 private universities in the country.
Dr Morufu Alausa, the Minister of Education, said this while briefing State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting.
He said the universities approved were: New City University, Ayetoro Ogun; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Eranova University, Mabushi; Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun Annex and Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara.
Others are: Southern Atlantic University Uyo, Akwa Ibom; Lens University, ilemona, Kwara; Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos and Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State.
Alausa said the administration of President Bola Tinubu was Committed to expanding the frontiers of educational opportunities and infrastructure, hence the approval of the new universities. (NAN)