NDLEA Gets Nod To Detain Drug Baron Arrested With N8.8bn Tramadol

Justice Akintaye Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) permission to detain an alleged drug baron, Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu, a.k.a Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, in its custody for a period of 14 days.

Justice Aluko ordered that the billionaire drug baron, who was allegedly arrested with N8.8 billion worth of Tramadol in the VGC Housing Estate area of the state be kept in the custody of the NDLEA for 14 days pending the conclusion of ongoing investigation for alleged drug trafficking.

The court gave the order after entertaining an ex-parte application filed by anti-drug agency’s lawyer, Umar Hussain.

In an affidavit attached to the Motion Ex-parte and deposed to by one Kareem Musibau, a litigation officer attached to the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services at the NDLEA, the agency claimed that the  suspect was arrested at plot-2-130, Road 67 VGC Housing Estate along Epe Expressway in Lagos on  the 30th day of September, 2022 in connection to the seizure of 10,598 kilogrammes of tramadol, while dealing and conspiring to distributes same to his associates in Nigeria and Other parts of the world.

It further stated, “That the respondent is an illicit drug baron operating a drug trafficking organisation in collaboration with his associates in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

“That this court has the powers under the law to make the orders sought on the motion paper. 9.

“That it will serve the interest of justice if this application is granted,” the NDLEA maintained.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the NDLEA had through its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, had in statement said that following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday 30th of September, 2022 stormed Plot A45 Road 2 home of the 52-year-old billionaire drug kingpin.

Babafemi had also disclosed that a search of the expansive mansion led to the discovery of 443 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg, which contains 13,451,466 pills of the drug while some cartons were already burnt in a fire incident in the house same day.

He stated, “Before his arrest, Ugochukwu who hails from Ihiala local government area of Anambra State has been on the agency’s watch list as one of those behind the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria.

“Preliminary investigation shows that he has about six mansions within the VGC, one of which he uses to warehouse the tramadol consignment, while he lives in the one at Plot Z-130 Road 67 and another as his office. Five exotic vehicles have also been located in two of his mansions, out of which two SUVs including a bullet-proof jeep have been successfully removed to the agency’s facility,” Babafemi said.