Few weeks after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted $2.1 million dollars in Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of the Agency has arrested a twenty-five (25) year old man with forty-eight million, four hundred and fifty thousand naira (N48,450,000:00). The monetary exhibit was detected during routine motorized surveillance along Abaji Abuja express way. The command also arrested a cannabis dealer with seventy-nine bags of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis weighing 817kg.
The FCT commander of the NDLEA, Mrs. Obijuru Chinyere said that the twenty-five year old suspect claimed that the money belongs to a bureau de change. “The suspect, John Okafor was on board a commercial bus from Onitsha in Anambra State when N48,450,000:00 was found in a brown carton concealed in a sack. He also had on him eighty-six thousand, five hundred CFA Franc. He claimed that the money belongs to a bureau de change at Onitsha. Chukuka Ugbai was arrested at Bako village in Kwali Area Council following the discovery of his cannabis warehouse” Chinyere stated.
Okafor John in his statement said that he was on official assignment for a bureau de change in Anambra State. “I work for a bureau de change at Onitsha. I was asked to purchase dollars at the foreign exchange market in Abuja with the money. When we got to Abaji, our vehicle was searched and the money was found. That is all I know about” Okafor stated.
It was judgment day for Chukwuka Ugbai who was caught red handed at his residence. In his words, “I can say I was not lucky enough because I do not know how they detected my cannabis warehouse. I sell cannabis to take care of my family and pay my children school fees. The officers found seventy-nine (79) bags of cannabis in my store house. I pray to get out of this problem never to do it again in my life”.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade called on members of the public to adhere strictly to the provisions of the anti-money laundering act. “The Agency is committed to the fight against illicit drugs and related offences such as money laundering. It is important to comply with the provisions of the act and embrace the cashless policy. The cannabis seizure made at Bako village is part of ongoing drug supply control plan to cut away drugs from the end users. We shall be vigilant to identify any violation of the NDLEA Act relating to drug trafficking and money laundering” Giade stated.
Meanwhile, John Okafor had been transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation while Chukwuka Ugbai will soon be charged to court for unlawful possession of cannabis.
