NDLEA Arrests Billionaire Drug Baron Linked To Abba Kyari [Photo]

NDLEA has arrested billionaire drug baron over ₦3bn linked to Abba Kyari.

Newsone reports that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a Nigerian billionaire drug baron and the Chairman of Mallinson Group, Chief Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu.

This online news platform understands that the arrest of the  Nigerian billionaire drug baron was announced in a statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Monday, April 25, 2022.

Newsone Nigeria learned that the Nigerian billionaire drug baron was arrested by the NDLEA at the Murtala Mohammed terminal in Ikeja after months of surveillance and evading arrest. According to the drug law enforcement agency, Ukatu has been a major importer of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg, and 250mg.

The suspect according to the NDLEA, allegedly uses his pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies to import illicit drugs into Nigeria. The NDLEA spokesman said, “This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.”

It was gathered that billionaire drug baron has been under watch since 2021, after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021. Ukatu had directed his staff to sell the drugs to undercover police officers unknowing to him that they are men of the Kyari-led Intelligence Response Team, in Lagos.

A further report had it that a carton of Tramadol was sold for 17 million each which against the black market price which stands at N18million and N20million per carton. Kyari’s men, Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete were led to Mallinson’s warehouse after Ukatu’s staff was arrested.

The IRT seized 197 additional cartons of Tramadol 225mg. The value of the Tramadol seized by men of IRT in one day was over N3 billion. However, three weeks after the drugs were seized, Kyari’s men transferred only 12 cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for.

The full statement on the arrest of the  Nigerian billionaire drug baron sighted by Newsone Nigeria reads thus; “Billionaire drug baron behind the N3billion Tramadol deal involving the embattled suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari-led Intelligence Response Team, IRT, Chief Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

“After months of surveillance and evading arrest, Ukatu who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies was eventually nabbed onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April.

“Investigations reveal he’s been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit.

“Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria. This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.

“Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to Ukatu) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos.

“The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18million and N20million a carton in Lagos.

“After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyari’s men were then led by the suspects to Mallinson’s warehouse at Ojota in Lagos where 197 additional Cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized by the IRT Team. The monetary value of the 202 cartons of Tramadol seized from Mallinson in one day was over N3billion.

“Three weeks after the seizure, the Kyari’s IRT team transferred only 12 Cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for. After over eight months of following the lead, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency eventually arrested Ukatu at the Lagos airport on 13th April 2022.

“Kyari and four top members of his team are already facing trial for a different but similar offence at a Federal High Court in Abuja.”