Osun Monarch, Corps Membe Arrested For Possession Of Cannabis, Loud

A community head (Baale) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Ige Babatunde, has been arrested by Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for alleged possession of cannabis plants.

Babatunde who is the head of Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, according to the NDLEA was arrested on July 5 with fresh cannabis plants weighing 5kg.

NDLEA in a statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said, “In Osun State, the head of Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was on Friday, July 5 arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.”

He also said operatives arrested a corps member, identified as Yusuf Abdulrahman, with a loud which weighed 1.250kg at a corpers lodge in Kano State.

He said, “In Kano, operatives on Wednesday, July 3rd, arrested a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, 25, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of the city, with 1.250kg of Loud.”

Babafemi added that its operatives raided the hideout of a high-profile cocaine baron headed by a couple in Lagos.

He said consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered during the operation.

Babafemi added that a total of 10.1 kg valued at over N2.1 billion in street value was recovered from the suspects.

He said, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have raided the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate headed by a couple: Agbakoba John Mmadu, and Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe as well as their associate, Okoye Ifeoma Maryjane, where large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered.

“The raid carried out by a special operations unit of the Agency followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking of cocaine within and outside Nigeria.

“The 54-year-old Agbakoba John Mmadu was arrested at Ago palace way, Okota, while his wife, Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe, 39, and associate, Okoye Ifeoma Maryjane, 31, who doubles as their stash keeper, were nabbed at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, all on Wednesday July 3, 2024.”