NDLEA arrests wanted kingpin, Saudi-bound drug trafficker in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 56-year-old suspected drug trafficker, Lawal Oyenuga, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said the suspect was on a mission to deliver 400 grams of the “Class A’’ drug when he was nabbed.

Babafemi stated that the drug was concealed in a pair of black palm sandals packed in luggage en-route Jeddah via an Ethiopian Airways flight.

He added that a thorough examination of the sandals showed that they were used to conceal two parcels of cocaine weighing 400 grams.

The spokesman revealed that a wanted notorious kingpin, Wasiu Sanni popularly known as “Teacher” was arrested by the operatives at his residence in the Ikorodu area of the state on November 25.

Sanni, according to him, recruits agents for the Lagos drug cartel.

Babafemi said: “This is barely a week after a 56-year-old widow and mother of four, Mrs. Sidika Ajisegiri, was arrested at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 400 grams of cocaine to Saudi Arabia.

“She was scheduled to board a Qatar Airways flight with the drugs concealed in her footwear.

“The suspect claimed she was recruited to traffic the drug by Sanni.

“The woman revealed that she was first given some pellets of cocaine to swallow but when she couldn’t do that, she was given the choice of concealing those found in the palm sandals.

“Ajisegiri said she resorted to the criminal trade to raise money to pay an examination fee for her daughter in Senior Secondary School Class 3.

READ ALSO: NDLEA arrests widow with cocaine at Lagos airport

“The NDLEA’s database showed that Sanni had been linked to some previous attempts to traffic cocaine to Saudi Arabia and to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“He was earlier named as the one who recruited a BRT driver, Bolajoko Babalola for a Lagos socialite and hotel owner, Alhaji Ademola Kazeem (a.k.a Alhaji Abdallah Kazeem) to traffic drugs to Dubai.

“Babalola was arrested on June 27 while taking 900 grams of cocaine to Dubai while Kazeem was nabbed on Thursday, November 10, 10 days after he was declared wanted by the NDLEA.

“A follow-up operation in the early hours of November 25 led to the arrest of the kingpin, ‘Teacher’ at his residence in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

“Teacher specialises in recruiting mules for drug barons in Lagos and its environs.

“The 64-year-old Sanni is a housing and property agent, with seven children and four wives, one of whom is now deceased.”

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