Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested the founder and General Overseer of Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, Lagos, Nnodu Azuka; a student of Emmanuel College of Theology, Samanta, Ibadan, Udezuka Udoka, and their freight agent, Oyoyo Obasi, over an attempt to export methamphetamine and skunk consignments.
The items were said to have been concealed in kegs of palm oil and were meant to be moved through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
According to a statement on Sunday by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Nnodu was arrested on Saturday at his church located at No 1, Sabbath Close, Ijesha area of Lagos, following the arrest of Obasi and Udoka on Thursday at the Lagos airport.
The two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 283 parcels of skunk weighing 14.90Kg and 204 grams of methamphetamine concealed in four 25-litre kegs of palm oil for export to Dubai.
According to the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Obasi in her statement indicted Azuka and his son, Chisom Obi, who is now at large as the persons that gave her the consignments for export after being compelled to take an oath of secrecy as well as a sacrifice of chicken in the church while Azuka prayed for her for the success of the transaction.
Babafemi said, “Spilling the beans on how she was recruited by her church’s GO, Obasi said the clergyman and his son used threats to compel her to take the job after they knew she had known their secrets, adding that Nnodu was always referring to the illicit drugs as Ice and Bible, (street names for methamphetamine and cannabis) in their telephone text message chats.
“The theology student, Udoka was introduced to Obasi to assist her because she was new in the illicit business. Udoka said he was paid N2m for his role and had to do it because he needed money for his education.”
The NDLEA spokesman added that another attempt to send a consignment of skunk and tramadol 225mg to the UAE by a Dubai-returnee, Nnamani Innocent, was also frustrated following his arrest at the Trade Fair complex in the Ojo area of Lagos State, where he had gone in company of his friend, Nwanana Ikechukwu, with the cargo to a freight company to process the consignment for export on Tuesday, February 7.
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