Crimes

NDLEA arrests church officials, 2 ladies for drug trafficking in Delta

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested four members of a drug syndicate, including two church officials, a female official of a courier company, and another lady involved in trafficking lethal opioid, fentanyl, in Warri, Delta State.

The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, July 9, 2023.

Babafemi stated that the bust of the fentanyl cartel operating in Warri, Delta State, comes barely a month after two members of another syndicate – Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Oliver Chigozie Uzoma – were arrested at Ogbogwu market in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, following months of intelligence-led investigation of the syndicates behind the dangerous drug, which is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70 per cent overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.

READ ALSO: NDLEA nabs fake female security agent with cannabis, destroys farm in Edo

He noted that two officials of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries (aka Mercy City Church), Warri, Delta State – Adewale Abayomi Ayeni, 39, and Ebipakebina Appeal, 41 – linked to two intercepted consignments of the illicit drug were arrested in Warri.

He disclosed that Ayeni is one of those managing the prayer call centre of the church, while Ebipakebina is in charge of the movement of international guests from the airport to the church.

The NDLEA said two female accomplices also arrested in Warri in the course of investigating the intercepted shipments were 28-year-old Naomi David, who is a staff of United Parcel Services (UPS), and 27-year-old Stacy Njideka, who is a business associate of Ayeni.

In his reaction, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), urged the officers of the anti-drug agency and their compatriots across the country to continue to set their eyes on the goal of ridding the nation of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

The Star

Segun Ojo

Recent Posts

Bishop Odedeji: Jesus birth, most remarkable event in human history

The Anglican Bishop of the diocese of Lagos West The Rt. Rev James Olusola Odedeji…

1 hour ago

Christmas: Let’s be instruments of peace, Uba Sani urges Christians

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has felicitated Christians in the state, urging them and other…

9 hours ago

Zenith Bank, Int’l Breweries, NNPC, Others Shine at 2024 SERAS Awards

It was a night of glitz, glamour and celebration at the 18th edition of the…

22 hours ago

Tinubu felicitates Christians on Christmas, says Nigeria on path of restoration

President Bola Tinubu has felicitated Christians on Christmas celebration in the country, saying the nation…

22 hours ago

Uba Sani inaugurates 12 road projects on Xmas Eve

Governor Uba Sani has inaugurated 12 asphaltic roads  within Kaduna metropolis on Tuesday, 10 months…

23 hours ago

Court sends oil magnate to prison for diverting $26m refinery fund

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has remanded the Founder and Chairman of Platform…

23 hours ago

This website uses cookies.