The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a wanted drug kingpin behind the 2000.6kg Cannabis Sativa seized in a concrete mixer truck in Adamawa State on December 2, 2021, Henry Chukwuneku Okamaru, popularly known as Lawrence Ik Okamaru.
Okamaru was arrested in Ondo State after five months of manhunt by the anti-drug operatives.
This was disclosed via a statement issued and made available to The Star on Sunday by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi stated that two suspects, Matthew Donuwe and Friday Nmborgwu, were arrested in connection to the consignment last December.
He noted that the arrested suspects confessed that the concrete mixer truck with Lagos registration number SMK 890 XB was loaded with the illicit drug in Ogbese, Ondo State while they travelled for two months on the road before arriving Adamawa State where they were eventually arrested by NDLEA operatives.
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“Investigations reveal that Okamaru is one of the leaders of a cannabis cultivation cartel that operates in the Ondo-Ekiti axis, while he shuttles between Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, and Delta State from where he coordinates supplies of illicit consignments to Northern parts of the country and Lagos State.
“The drug lord has also been identified as a member of an international drug trafficking ring, while he shuttles between Nigeria and South Africa where he settles his family.
“He has a strong control and stake in cannabis cultivation in Ondo, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo States with large storage facilities in Lagos and Abbi in Delta State from where his consignments are distributed year-round,” the NDLEA spokesperson stated.
Speaking on the arrest, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the anti-narcotic officers, urging them and their compatriots across the country not to relent in their offensive action against drug cartels and their kingpins.
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