Ex-Convict Arrested For Importing N4.6bn Cocaine
A 48 year old businessman, Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempting to smuggle N4.6bn worth of cocaine into Nigeria.
This marks the second time Ogbuji has been caught trafficking cocaine, with his first arrest occurring just 16 months ago.
Ogbuji was initially apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 10, 2023, after ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.986kg.
He was convicted on July 13, 2023, and sentenced to two years in prison with the option of a N3 million fine, which he paid.
Despite his conviction, Ogbuji continued his criminal activities, leading to his latest arrest on September 18, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi in a statement explained that Ogbuji had arrived from Addis Ababa and was caught with 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40kg, which had an estimated street value of N4.6bn.
Babafemi said, “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 intercepted by operatives of the NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for importing 817 wraps of the same Class A drug weighing 19.40 kilograms with an estimated street value of N4,656,000,000.00.
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“Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport on Wednesday, 18th September 2024, during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos. 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 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 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.”
Babafemi said during an interview with the suspect, 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.
Babafemi said the suspect claimed he had to procure a new international passport to continue his criminal trade.
“Investigation reveals 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
Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire,” he added.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
