The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a traditional chief priest of the Igunuko Shrine, Bariu Aliu, in the Alpha Beach area of Ajah, Lekki, after a three-month manhunt.
Bariu, also known as “Malo,” was apprehended following the recovery of 2,760 kilogrammes of skunk from his shrine on October 25, 2024.
A statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said while two of his accomplices had been arrested, charged, and convicted last year, the NDLEA revealed that Bariu was the leader of the drug syndicate operating from the shrine.
He said, “In Lagos, the traditional chief priest of the Igunuko shrine, Alpha Beach, Ajah, Lekki, where 2,760kg skunk was recovered on October 25, 2024, Bariu Aliu (alias Malo) has been arrested by the NDLEA operatives after over three months of manhunt for him. Though two of his accomplices were earlier arrested at the shrine last year and had since been charged and convicted in court, Bariu was said to be the leader of the syndicate.”
He also said operatives intercepted a 40-foot trailer loaded with 2,217.6 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, during an intelligence-led operation in the Kagini area of Kubwa of Abuja.
Babafemi said, “A 40ft trailer load of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 2,217.6 kilograms has been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, while being distributed into six vehicles at an abandoned fuel station in Kagini, Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for onward distribution to some Northern states.
“The intelligence-led operation, which took place at 1:20 am on Saturday, January 11, 2025, led to the seizure of not only the large illicit consignment but also the trailer and the six vehicles: Toyota van, Toyota Camry car, Toyota Sienna bus, JAC 4-wheel-drive Hilux truck, Toyota Corolla car and a Vento Passat car as well as the arrest of a suspect: 42-year-old Isaac Monday Desmond.
“The consignment was loaded into the trailer at Uzebba in Owan local council area of Edo State.”
Babafemi added that in another raid in the FCT, two suspects: Anthony Nnamdi, 42, and Abba Ali, 27, were arrested by the NDLEA officers at Nyanya, where a combined 1.398kg cocaine and a precursor substance used in preparing crack cocaine were recovered from them.
Speaking further, Babafemi stated that no fewer than 20 wraps of cocaine weighing 330 grammes were recovered from a cargo going to Australia at a logistics firm in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, in the NDLEA.
“The cocaine parcels were concealed around the body of face cream containers in the shipment.
“A total of 338,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth more than N1,190,168,200.00 in street value, were intercepted in two containers watch-listed by the agency following processed intelligence.
“The illicit consignments were discovered during the joint examination of the containers by the NDLEA operatives, customs and other security agencies on Thursday and Friday, January 9 and 10, 2025, at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
“A suspect, Habibu Ya’u, 23, was nabbed by the NDLEA officers who raided Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria Road, Kano on Thursday, January 9, where they recovered 45 blocks of cannabis weighing 24.2kg; and 40,800 pills of opioids including tramadol from him,” the statement added.
