NDLEA Reveals Shocking Details Behind The Arik Cocaine Peddling Scandal

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Thursday announced that it has apprehended another employee of Arik Air, Ikechukwu Chibuzor Oliver, for his alleged involvement in the alleged crime of cocaine peddling. This is in the backdrop of the arrest of an Arik Air attendant at Heathrow Airport London for the possession of 20 kilogrammes of cocaine,

The NDLEA said Oliver confessed to the crime and told detectives that he charged N400,000 for each of the three bags containing the substance.

Oliver, Arik Air’s employee in the catering department, confessed that he assisted Chika Egwu Udensi, who was arrested in London on Monday night, to get the cocaine onboard the London-bound Flight W3101.

The NDLEA, in a statement, said 35 years old Oliver, who is a catering loader at Arik, evade airport security by concealing cocaine in catering supplies.
The statement by the anti-narcotics agency’s spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, indicated that preliminary investigation had revealed that both Oliver and Udensi were working for a suspected drug cartel.

Ofoyeju said Oliver had told narcotic investigators that he was brought into the illicit drug deal by Udensi.

“It was Chika that introduced me into the drug deal. Whenever Chika gives me the drug, I will hide it in catering supplies. Chika knows where to collect the drug inside the flight. They pay me N400,000 per bag. I was expecting N1.2m for the three bags that I smuggled into the aircraft,” The NDLEA’s statement quoted Oliver to have said,

The statement added,“The 20kg of cocaine found with Chika in London was concealed within the construction of laptop bags. The quantity and estimated street value of the cocaine is over N100m.

“The latest Range Rover (Land Rover) car belonging to the prime suspect parked on the airline’s premises had been moved to the NDLEA office as an exhibit.

“As part of the investigation, the rented apartment of Chika on Pastor Ojediran Street Ejigbo, Lagos was searched by operatives of the NDLEA. He lives there with the mother and siblings while his wife and children are based in Canada.”

Meanwhile, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Ahmadu Giade, has directed that, henceforth, all airport workers must be extensively screened.

Giade said, “The agency has taken drastic measures to avert infiltration of airport workers by criminal syndicates. Airline officials and airport workers shall be subjected to comprehensive search. The NDLEA will resist any act capable of undermining security at all entry and exit points.”

Punch.