NDLEA nabs ‘drug baron’ — 10 years after escaping arrest

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Chidi Olife, a suspected drug baron, who had escaped arrest for unlawful importation of 5.250 kilogram (kg) of heroin, concealed in books from Karachi, Pakistan to Lagos since June 2010.

NDLEA, in a statement on Saturday, said Olife’s arrest was coordinated by Adeniyi Olumuyiwa, commander of NDLEA’s joint task force (JFN) and deputy commander of narcotics (DCN).

It said the operation on Olife was carried out following vital intelligence on the drug source; flight details; date and place of arrival; weight and mode of concealment; name; phone number; and address of the recipient of the consignment.

“The careful execution of the operation led to the arrest of Oladimeji Oladotun and Danjuma Idris while processing the documents for clearing the consignment. Both were the clearing agents hired by Olife, the owner of the drug,” the statement read.

“Upon being arrested, Idris was used to effect the arrest of Oke Ningo who Olife contacted to receive the consignment from the agents on his behalf, unfortunately, he escaped arrest at the point of receiving the drug as he suspected the person with the clearing agent to be an NDLEA officer.

“Subsequently, the house of Olife was traced to a street in Ajao estate, Lagos but before the JTF team could get there he had escaped with all members of his house due to the failed arrest of Ningo.

“The undaunted JTF team of officers placed surveillance on him. Their resilience yielded fruit 10 years after as Olife was eventually arrested.”

NDLEA said Olife is currently in its custody while a manhunt for Ningo, his criminal associate, continues.

Also, the anti-drug agency operatives in Adamawa state nabbed Rabiu Imam, a suspected drug dealer, on February 19, 2021, with Tramadol tablet 225 milligram (mg) weighing 45.4kg.

Idris Bello, Adamawa commander of NDLEA, said other illicit drugs recovered from Imam include: Tramadol capsules 100mg weighing 550 grams and Diazepam tablet 850 grams.

Bello said the drug trafficker was arrested in a house at Unguwan Madina, Mubi north local government area (LGA) of Adamawa, adding that the total value of the seized drugs was over N50 million.