Lagos ‘drug dealer’ forfeits nine houses to FG

Nine houses belonging to Funmilola Arike Ogbuaya, a Lagos socialite, have been forfeited to the federal government over allegations of drug dealing.

According to NewsMakers, an online medium, this followed the order of a federal high court in Lagos over the weekend.

Known in social circles as Ariket, Ogbuaya will “temporarily” forfeit the identified property to the federal government.

The newspaper said the court order followed a motion ex-parte marked FHC/L/124c/3017, filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at its sitting on Friday.

Her property listed to be temporarily forfeited include house number 146, Idimu Road, Alimosho, Lagos; 235, Ikotun-Idimu Road, Ikotun, Lagos; 18, Olayiwola Shittu Street, Abaranje, Ikotun, and 13b, Ladipo Kuku, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja.

Others are: 8, Olufemi Avenue, Omiasoro, Ilesa, Ilesa east LGA, Osun state; 6, Hakeem-One, Momoh Close, Governor’s Road, Ikotun; a plot of land at council area, Cele Bus stop, Idimu-Ikotun, and a plot of land along Papalanto-Shagamu Road, Omu-Penpe Village, Obafemi-Owode LGA, Ogun state.

The medium said Ogbuaya, who is linked to several drug deals, was accused of dealing in narcotic drugs and money laundering.

Also known as Funmilola Ogundipe, she is currently at large.

At the court sitting, Abu Ibrahim, the NDLEA counsel, urged the court to grant the ex-parte application.

He said the application was brought pursuant to section 44(2)(k) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended in 2011), section 3(1)(a)(c), 33(1)(a), 2 and 3, 36(b) of the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and under inherent jurisdiction of the federal high court.

Ibrahim also urged the court “to permit or authorise his agency to place the listed property under seal, pending the arrest and prosecution of Ogbuaya.”

On hearing the submission of the NDLEA counsel, Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari, the presiding judge, granted the motion ex-parte.

The judge ordered that all the listed property belonging to Ariket should be temporarily forfeited to the federal government, pending her arrest and prosecution.

Rabiu-Shagari also ordered Ariket’s alleged accomplice, 57-year-old Morayo Omolara Oduyemi, to be remanded in prison custody, pending ruling on her bail application.

Oduyemi was arraigned during the sitting on a three-count charge of conspiracy, attempts to unlawfully export 1.595 kg of cocaine to Saudi Arabia, and unlawful dealing in narcotic.

She was arrested with the drug by NDLEA operatives on February 23 at Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos.

She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.