To export methamphetamine and skunk concealed in kegs of palm oil through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have detained the founder and general overseer of the Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, Lagos, High Priest Nnodu Azuka Kenrick; a student of the Emmanuel College of Theology, Samanta
According to a statement released by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, High Priest Nnodu was detained on February 11, 2023, at his Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly church in the Ijesha neighbourhood of Lagos. This came after two other suspects, Oyoyo Mary Obasi and theology student Udezuka Udoka, were detained on February 9 at the Lagos airport in connection with the seizure of 283 parcels of skunk weighing 14.90 kilograms and 204 grams of methamphetamine concealed in four 25-litre kegs of palm oil for export to Dubai.
As the ones who gave her the consignments for export after being forced to take an oath of secrecy and offer a chicken sacrifice in the church while High Priest Nnodu prayed for her to complete the transaction, Mary indicted the General Overseer of her newly discovered church, Nnodu, and his son, Chisom Obi, who is currently at large, in her statement.
Mary revealed how she was hired by her church’s GO, she claimed that the clergyman and his son had threatened her to accept the position after learning that she was aware of their trade secrets. Mary also claimed that High Priest Nnodu frequently referred to marijuana and methamphetamine by their street names, Ice and Bible, in their phone calls and text messages. Mary was introduced to Udezuka, a theology student, to help her as she was new to the illegal trade. Udezuka said he had to take the job because he needed the N2 million to pay for his studies. He was paid N2 million for the part.
Another attempt to ship skunk and tramadol 225mg to the UAE by a Dubai returnee was foiled after Nnamani Monday Innocent was apprehended at the Trade Fair complex in Lagos’ Ojo neighbourhood on February 7th. He had gone there with his friend Nwanana Emmanuel Ikechukwu to a freight company to process the consignment for export.
In the same vein, NDLEA agents stationed at the Lagos airport’s SAHCO export shed seized a shipment headed for London, United Kingdom, the same day. The four sides of the carton were employed to hide 1.10 kilos of methamphetamine in the shipment of food products packaged in a carton, and the freight agent, Agholor Emmanuel, who delivered the cargo for export was promptly detained.
Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, praised the officers of the MMIA, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos commands for their dedication and professionalism towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs in his response to the arrests and seizures of the previous week.
All NDLEA personnel throughout the nation are being urged to continue their relentless pursuit of the corporate criminals, he said, adding that the Agency would continue to pursue anybody or organization engaging in the illicit activity without showing any favour.
