NDLEA blocks 107 bank accounts, recovers N119m, mansions

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has frozen 107 bank accounts linked to 14 members of the drug cartel which specialises in trafficking heroin across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe, and United States.

The NDLEA also froze N119,582,928.31 found in some of the bank accounts.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of anti-drug agency, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

Marwa said the accounts belonged to the suspects arrested in connection with a consignment of heroin intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.

He added that a hotel and a mansion linked to the head of the syndicate in Nigeria, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, and another mansion linked to the head of the syndicate in Mozambique, Festus Ibewuike, located in the Ago Palace area of Lagos had already been marked for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

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He said the measure yielded further fruit on Thursday, February 22, when a female member of the syndicate and wife of Festus Ibewuike, Confidence Ndidiamaka, was arrested at Ago Palace.

The NDLEA chairman said: “Ibewuike who is one of those to collect part of the consignment from Adinnu Felix Chinedu. When they were brought face to face, he (Adinnu) immediately identified her as one of the members of the criminal syndicate who had received similar packages of heroin with the syndicate’s logo from him on two different occasions.

“Though she denied knowing Adinnu or receiving anything from him before, investigation later revealed how her husband identified as Festus Ibewuike who is a top kingpin and currently residing in Mozambique used to send drug consignments to her through Adinnu.

“With pictorial evidence of different parcels with different codes and using other methodologies, we were able to confirm several instructions from her husband to her regarding illicit drug shipments already collected before.

“A search was promptly conducted in their residence located at the Ago Palace area, Festac Town where a Toyota Venza car was recovered as well as several documents including, bank and property documents belonging to Festus Ibewuike.

“Their mansion in Ago Palace area has also been marked for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

As part of efforts to ensure all those involved are brought to book, Marwa said the NDLEA has shared comprehensive intelligence with the agency’s South African counterparts for necessary action regarding the other members of the group living in the country.

The Star