General Overseer of Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, Lagos, High Priest Nnodu Azuka Kenrick, a student of Emmanuel College of Theology, Samonda, Ibadan, Udezuka Udoka and their freight agent, Oyoyo Mary Obasi have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over attempt to export 283 parcels of skunk weighing 14.90 kilograms and 204 grams of methamphetamine concealed in four 25-litre kegs of palm oil for export to Dubai through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
Nnodu was arrested on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at his Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly church located at 1, Sabbath Close, Ijesha area of Lagos, following the arrest of Obasi and Udoka on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at the Lagos airport.
According to Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Obasi indicted the cleric and his son, Chisom Obi, who is now at large.
Obasi said the cleric and his son compelled her to take the job, adding that Kenrich was always referring to the illicit drugs as Ice and Bible, (Street names for Methamphetamine and Cannabis) in their telephone text message chats.
The NDLEA spokesperson said the theology student was introduced to Obasi to assist her because she was new in the business. Udoka said he was paid N2 million for his role and had to do it because he needed the money for his education.
Another attempt to send a consignment of skunk and tramadol 225mg to the UAE by a Dubai-returnee, Nnamani Monday Innocent was also frustrated following his arrest at Trade Fair complex in Ojo area of Lagos, where he had gone in company of his friend Nwanana Emmanuel Ikechukwu with the cargo to a freight company to process the consignment for export on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives attached to the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO), the same day intercepted a cargo enroute to London. The consignment contained food items packed in a carton; the four walls of the carton were used to conceal 1.10 kilograms of methamphetamine while the freight agent, Agholor Emmanuel, who presented the cargo for export was arrested.
The agency on February 7, 2023 intercepted a consignment of 1,340 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa coming from Ogbese, Ondo State, in a liquefied natural gas truck to Okurikang Okoyong in Odukpani Council, Cross River State. 130 bags of cannabis weighing 1.430 tons were recovered from the LNG truck and 13 motorcycles, which were hired by the cartel to convey the consignment deep into the forest.
On Sunday, February 5, 2023, four members of a syndicate using dispatch motorcycles to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki area of Lagos were arrested. The suspects include; Tijani Oladapo Hakeem; Eric Maku; Ahmed Jubril Olamide and Adobi Fortune Chris. At the time of their arrest, 1.88kgs of Loud and assorted paraphernalia were recovered from them.
While 79.1kgs skunk were seized during a raid in Patey area of Lagos Island on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, a total of 2,370.06 kilograms of cannabis and two boats seized at a jetty in Lagos by men of Civil Defence Corps were handed over to the Lagos command of the Agency.
