Drugs / Fraud / Law / News

N22b tramadol: Businessman sues NDLEA, demands N200m, apology

A businessman, Ukatu Afamefuna Mallinson, has filed a fundamental rights suit asking the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to order the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to release him “forthwith” and “unconditionally” or upon such terms as the court may deem fit.

Ukatu is the Managing Director of Mallinson & Partners Ltd, whom the NDLEA alleged imported two containers containing 1,284 cartons of Tramadol worth N22b in 2019 and also claimed was behind a N3b shipment of Tramadol linked to the disgraced police chief, Abba Kyari.

But Ukatu, asides protesting his innocence, also averred that the NDLEA not only failed to arraign him in court, despite there being a Federal High Court within a 40km radius of where he is being held, but had also failed to grant him administrative bail since his arrest on April 13, 2022.

He prayed the court to declare that his arrest by the NDLEA on April 13, at the Murtala Muhammed local Airport Terminal, Ikeja, Lagos, and continued detention in its cell at the NDLEA office at NAHCO Compound, International Airport Road, was “without reasonable cause or upon reasonable suspicion” of a crime,” and violates his fundamental rights. He further prayed for an order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the NDLEA from “re-arresting, further re-detaining, further re-incarcerating” him contrary to his fundamental rights to liberty and freedom as enshrined in Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) among other laws.

The applicant made the prayers in his originating summons in Suit FHC/L/CS/796/2022 before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, filed by his counsel Victor Opara, SAN, of Victor Opara’s Chambers.

In the alternative, the businessman prayed for an order admitting him to bail on the most liberal terms pending the conclusion of NDLEA’s investigation and/or his arraignment.

He further sought an order directing the NDLEA to tender a public apology to him for the “unlawful arrest and unlawful detention” to be published in three national newspapers to wit: Punch, The Nation, Vanguard.

The applicant further prayed for an order directing the NDLEA to pay him, …

Drugs / News

Senior Police Officer accused of running fraud syndicate in Lagos

A Lagos State-based businesswoman, Osuji Onyedikanne, has accused an unknown Senior Police Officer of running a fraud syndicate in Lagos State and assisting suspected members of such syndicates to evade justice.

This much was contained in a petitioned addressed to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi.

The CP, who is aware of the incident following the petition, appeared to be helpless as it has become apparent that an unknown Senior Police Officer is calling the shot.

It was alleged that this officer, immediately suspected syndicate members are arrested, would call and the Investigating Police Officers would start running and scampering about in fright and obeisance and before one could say Jack Robison, these members would saunter out of the police station. In the petition dated April 8, 2022, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Onyedikanne, who  runs a travels and tours company, alleged that the unfortunate incident which led going to her going to the police, seeking for justice and closure, started in February 2022.

This was the period when one Mrs. Stephens colluded with others to defraud her in the guise of involving her in her business.

Onyedikanne said that she met Stephens at an event in Lagos in 2019 and they had chatted and had since remained in communication.

In April 2022, Stephens came to her with four men, including a self-proclaimed lawyer, identified simply as Emeka, and lured her into funding a business which she was meant to believe she would be part of.

They used the name of a dubious company given as Golden Knights Ltd/Golden Knights International Sports Ltd, and claimed that they use the company to recruit upcoming football stars for trial in Spain.

They printed and distributed fliers and made claims of collaborating with the Nasarawa State Government as well as the Embassy of Spain, for which they tendered several documents that made her feel convinced about the genuineness of the business.

They collected from her the initial sum of N6 million and seeing that they had …

Crime / Drugs / Law / News

Abba Kyari pleads not guilty to drug trafficking

Suspended DCP Abba Kyari  on Monday pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Kyari told Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Monday, following his arraignment, alongside six others, on allegations bordering on drug trafficking.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while Kyari pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, four and eight levelled against him, the other four police officers, who are defendants in the trial, also pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three and four filed against them.

But Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th defendants respectively, pleaded guilty to counts five, six and seven preferred against them. Although their names were also mentioned in counts three and four where allegations bordering on conspiracy were leveled against Kyari and others, they were not asked to take a plea on these two counts.

The four members of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022 include ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.

Umeibe and Ezenwanne are the two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

Shortly after taking their plea, the NDLEA lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, prayed the court for a trial date for the 1st to 5th defendants

Sunday also urged the court to grant a leave to review the charges against  Umeibe and Ezenwanne who pleaded guilty for the charges against them.

“We hope to file our proof of evidence latest tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

Kanu Agabi, SAN, who led a delegation of Senior Advocates of Nigeria that appeared for Kyari and Ubia,  however informed that a bail application had been filed in respect of his clients.

The NDLEA’s lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, who confirmed being served with the bail application, said a counter affidavit had been filed in its opposition.

The NDLEA, in the …

Drugs / Foreign / News

Abba Kyari: FG begins US extradition process as Malami files case

Nigeria has approved the request by the United States for the extradition of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari.

A grand jury, last April 29, filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the US District Court for Central District of California.

A Deputy Clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest for him.

Kyari is wanted to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft. He was accused of conspiring with a United Arab Emirates-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, to commit the crime.

On Wednesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), filed an application before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja for Kyari’s extradition.

The application, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, was filed under the Extradition Act.

The AGF said the application followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the US Embassy in Abuja.

It is “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment”.

Kyari and five other police officers are undergoing interrogation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over a cocaine deal.

Last week, a court endorsed further 14-day detention for the suspects.

In the affidavit filed in support of the extradition application, the AGF stated that he was satisfied that provision is made by the laws of the US such that so long as Kyari has not had a reasonable opportunity of returning to Nigeria, he will not be detained or tried for any offence committed before his surrender other than the extradition offence which can be proved by the fact on which his surrender is sought.

He added that he was satisfied that the offence in respect of which Kyari’s surrender is sought is not political nor is it trivial.

The AGF also expressed satisfaction that the request for the surrender of Kyari was not made to persecute or punish him on account of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions but in good faith and the interest …

Crime / Drugs / Fraud / News

Abba Kyari: Police unravel identities of suspected drug barons, NDLEA collaborators

The Force Headquarters on Monday unraveled the identities of the suspected drug barons who allegedly colluded with Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four others to ferry illicit drugs into the country.

Abba Kyari and four of his team members were declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Monday.

The suspects had been arrested by the police and handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation. The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement in Abuja that some NDLEA officials were allegedly involved in the drug deal. He said that the police had carried out discreet investigation when it received a request from the NDLEA on February 10.

Adejobi said: “In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the Inspector General of Police ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations.

“The interim investigations report revealed that two international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19.

“The suspects were arrested upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917.

“The arrest led to the recovery of substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers.

“The operation which was intelligence-driven, was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team.”

Adejobi said the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on January 25.

He said the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the I-G, Usman Baba, established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the IRT officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings.

The Police spokesman said the finding showed that the officers were allegedly involved in official corruption, which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered.

He added: “Beyond this, the Police investigation also established that the international narcotics cartel involved in this case have strong ties with some officers of the National Drug Law …