Court orders NDLEA to unfreeze account of suspected drug lord

In from Ali Smart . . .
Respite may have come the way of a suspected drug baron, Mr. Chukwunwendu Sylvester Ikejiakwu as Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the re-opening of his bank account containing N58,500,000 said to be drug proceeds frozen by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The account, Ripples gathered, was frozen with the consent of the Attorney General through the Solicitor General in accordance with the NDLEA Act.
In his ruling against the NDLEA, Justice Yunusa ordered the re-opening of the account on the ground that there is no Attorney General at the moment.
Expectedly, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic Agency, Ahmadu Giade described the ruling as unacceptable and promised to go on appeal.
According to Giade, “the ruling is unacceptable and we are going on appeal. NDLEA will continue to fight tenaciously in preventing suspected members of drug trafficking organizations from enjoying proceeds of narcotic trade. The true position is that narcotic investigations are incomplete until criminal wealth is traced and confiscated.”
Ikejiakwu is facing a 13 count charge involving manufacturing and production of methamphetamine as well as exportation of narcotic drugs, forming and operating a drug trafficking organisation among others.

Read also: NDLEA arrests 6 for swallowing $156,000 cash

The NDLEA had frozen the suspect’s bank accounts as well as secured interim forfeiture on his traced assets. While still in prison custody, Chukwunwendu allegedly arranged with his wife, Mrs. Ikejiakwu Chizoba Christiana in opening a bank account in the name of the wife’s younger sister, Ifeoma Chika Odili.
Three days after the account was opened, the sister also allegedly applied to the bank making wife of Chukwunwendu a signatory to the account. NDLEA reportedly got wind of the secret move and promptly froze the account with the consent of the Attorney General through the Solicitor General.
Interestingly, the bail application of Chukwunwendu had suffered a setback at the Federal High Court Awka where he is currently standing trial after the Agency discovered that the defense tendered fake medical documents in a desperate move to release him on bail.
According to the NDLEA, its investigation revealed that the suspect shuttles between his country home in Ozubulu, Nnewi and his Ajao Estate home, Isolo, Lagos where he resides.
Chukwunwendu Ikejiakwu is the Group Managing Director of Blessed Group of Companies and allegedly hides under the cover of motorcycle parts business in running a drug cell that has international affiliation.
His companies include Blessed Benita Global Limited, Ideal Motorcycle Company Limited and God’s Special Enterprise Limited.

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