February 15, 2022

Top officers at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Police have confided in our reporter that more officers of both anti-crime agencies have already been fingered as part of a structured syndicate specializing in aiding and abetting crimes of all shades.

An NDLEA source said the agency has established strong evidence that the captured drug couriers are not the real owners of the business, but working for the chief promoters of the Brazil-Nigeria cartel.

The source also disclosed that the NDLEA has over the years established a pattern which revealed a preference for Ethiopian Airliner by the drug runners for reasons bordering on collusion of airline staff and loose security while on transit by the couriers.

“This has been going on for a long time. It’s the arrival of Buba Marwa that has put pressure on some of the compromised officers of the NDLEA to retrace their steps. This is no longer the old NDLEA of anything goes. Nigerians will see how many heads will roll on account of this incident. Marwa is not here to play the old tune. He kept telling us to keep away from the criminals, it’s a pity that some people won’t listen,” the source said.

Our source said the fact that the couriers had already been cleared by NDLEA officials before they were arrested by the police showed there must have been a disconnect between the police and the NDLEA officials as the compromised officials of both agencies usually cooperate in matters of drug which the source described as “very lucrative” business.

The source challenged the media to put pressure on the police hierarchy to dig deeper than the arrested five officers.

On Monday, the NDLEA confirmed the arrest of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari and four others.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made the confirmation in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that this came few hours after Kyari was declared wanted by the agency over his involvement in a 25 kilograms Cocaine deal.

He confirmed that the Nigerian Police Force has handed over the suspended DCP Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force, to the anti-narcotic agency.

“Five of the wanted suspects namely: DCP Abba Kyari; ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu were driven into the National Headquarters of NDLEA in Abuja.

“This was about 5:00 p m. on Monday, Feb. 14 to formally hand them over for interrogation and further investigation.

“The Agency wishes to assure that no stone will be left unturned.

“This is to ensure that all suspects already in custody and those that may still be indicted in the course of investigation will face the full weight of the law at the end of the ongoing probe,” he said.

The Force Headquarters, on Monday revealed the identities of the suspected drug barons who allegedly colluded with DSP Abba Kyari and four others to ferry illicit drugs into the country.

Abba Kyari and his team were declared wanted by the NDLEA on Monday.

The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement in Abuja that some NDLEA officials were allegedly involved in the drug deal.

He said that the police had carried out discreet investigation when it received a request from the NDLEA on Feb. 10.

“In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the Inspector General of Police ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations.

“The interim investigations report revealed that two international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Jan. 19.

“The suspects were arrested upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917.

“The arrest led to the recovery of substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers.

“The operation which was intelligence-driven, was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT),” he said.

Adejobi said the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on Jan. 25.

He said the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the I-G established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings.

The Police spokesman said the finding showed that the officers were allegedly involved in official corruption which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered.

“Beyond this, the Police investigation also established that the international narcotics cartel involved in this case have strong ties with some officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) who are on their pay roll.

“The two arrested drug couriers confirmed that the modus is for the transnational drug barons to conspire with the NDLEA officers on duty and send them their pre-boarding photographs for identification.

“The idea is to ensure seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with the narcotics being trafficked,” he added.

According to him, the two arrested drug couriers also confirmed that they have been enjoying this relationship with the NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport since 2021.

He said the narcotics, in the instant case of Jan. 19, was identified and cleared by the NDLEA officers as customary, having received their pre-departure photographs and other details prior to their arrival in Enugu.

He said the suspects were on their way out with the narcotics when they were apprehended by the Police.

Adejobi said police investigations report had earlier indicted Kyari, who had been on suspension for alleged involvement in a fraud case being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

He said Kyari’s involvement in the recent allegation occurred while his suspension from service was subsisting.

“On the strength of the findings of the in-house Police Investigation Panel, the I-G has ordered the immediate arrest and transfer of all the indicted police officers to the NDLEA for conclusive investigation.

“Appropriate disciplinary actions are also being initiated against them by the Force leadership,” he said.

Adejobi said the I-G had formally requested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA to ensure the identification, arrest and investigation of the agency’s officers involved in the alleged criminal act.