NDLEA Nabs Ex-Convict For Smuggling N4.6bn Worth Of Cocaine
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested 48-year-old businessman Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji for a second time, marking a significant blow to drug cartels operating in West Africa. Ogbuji was first apprehended at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 10, 2023, for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.986 kg. He had traveled from Uganda via Addis Ababa onboard Ethiopian Airlines. After his arrest, Ogbuji was arraigned and convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 13, 2023, where he received a two-year prison sentence with an option of a N3 million fine. Despite paying the fine, his international passport, the cocaine, and foreign currencies found on him were forfeited.
However, on September 18, 2024, Ogbuji was arrested again at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, this time for importing 19.40 kg of cocaine, cleverly concealed in 817 wraps and worth an estimated N4.6 billion. Ogbuji had arrived from Addis Ababa via Ethiopian Airlines when he was apprehended during a routine search at the Lagos airport. He initially presented a black travel bag for inspection, which was cleared, but later sneaked back to retrieve a black backpack from the carousel area and concealed it within the cleared bag. Upon exiting, NDLEA officers conducted a secondary search, during which they uncovered the excreted cocaine wraps inside the backpack.
During questioning, Ogbuji admitted to intentionally leaving the backpack on the conveyor belt to avoid detection, mistakenly believing the initial search had cleared him of suspicion. Further investigation revealed that Ogbuji was part of an extensive drug trafficking network that operates between Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and other West African nations like Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Despite his previous conviction, Ogbuji continued his involvement in the illicit trade, even obtaining a new international passport to evade law enforcement authorities.
The arrest is a significant win for the NDLEA in their ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking cartels across the region.
