...Blocks N9.8bn in accounts
By RhemDy News
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared wanted a drug kingpin, Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna, popularly known as Odogwu, and three of his associates over their involvement in the establishment of a clandestine laboratory, production of methamphetamine and drug money laundering.
In a statement on Friday in Abuja, NDLEA's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi identified Uchenna's other associates as Emmanuella Chinonso Iroka; Nnamuka Ifeanyi Kingsley and Ekechi Franklin Chijioke (a.k.a Ekene Okwunaga).
Babafemi said the suspects were declared wanted due to the order of Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo state, following an application by NDLEA in suit number FHC/OW/CS/22/2026 filed before the court on 3rd July 2026.
He said the suit followed the discovery of a methamphetamine producing clandestine laboratory where 18.4 kilograms of the illicit substance and other items were recovered by NDLEA operatives at Isiozi in Umuaka, Njaba local government area of Imo State on February 26, 2026.
According to Babafemi, investigations later linked the wanted suspects to the meth lab, following which the suspects have since then gone into hiding.
He added that through forensic investigation of the meth syndicate by NDLEA operatives, bank accounts linked to the wanted suspects with a combined balance of Nine Billion, Eight Hundred and Forty Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Six Naira, Sixty Six Kobo (N9,840,873,566.66) only was frozen.
Babafemi also stressed that the Agency has secured interim forfeiture orders covering multibillion naira assets owned by members of the syndicate.
The assets include a filling station, multi-storey residential buildings and four (4) Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) marked RLU 148 AJ; KJA 563 FZ; BWR 249 DY and FST 208 HU.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and operatives involved in the operation.
Marwa described it as a clear demonstration of the Agency's resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks and disrupt the financial architecture that sustains them.
"This latest operation reaffirms our unwavering commitment to tracking down drug kingpins and their collaborators, no matter how sophisticated their network or how long they attempt to evade justice.
"The discovery of this clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Njaba, and the subsequent freezing of nearly ten billion naira in illicit funds, alongside the forfeiture of a filling station, multi-storey buildings and four exotic SUVs, sends an unambiguous message that the illegal drug business is no longer a safe haven for criminals seeking to launder their ill-gotten wealth through legitimate enterprises," said.
The NDLEA boss assured Nigerians that the Agency will not relent in going after the fleeing suspects and anyone else linked to this syndicate.
"We will continue to deploy financial and forensic intelligence to trace, freeze and forfeit assets acquired through drug trafficking, just as we will not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law against fugitives who think they can hide from justice," said.
He appealed to members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects to volunteer such information to the nearest NDLEA office or through its confidential lines.
He pledged that the Agency remains committed to ridding communities of the scourge of drug trafficking and its attendant social and economic harm.
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