NDLEA nabs alleged drug baron Afam Ukatu linked to Abba Kyari
NDLEA arrests drug baron behind N3 billion Tramadol linked to Abba Kyaris team
Billionaire drug baron behind the N3 billion 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 has 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 N17 million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18 million and N20 million a carton in Lagos.
After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyaris 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 N3 billion.
Three weeks after the seizure, the Kyari 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.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Monday 25th April 2022
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Economy
Tinubu committed to investment in renewable energy, says presidential aides
He said Mr Tinubu is committed to investments in renewable energy development, human capital empowerment, clean energy innovation, and Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.
Agriculture
Flooding may raise vegetable prices, Lagos farmers warn
“If we sold vegetables at lower prices before, they will now become more expensive because farmers must recover their losses,” she said.
States
Oyo Abduction: Freed teacher says terrorists released victims before security operatives arrived
Abducted on May 15, the Oyo schoolchildren and their teachers were freed on June 10, after 56 days in captivity.
States
Residents lament deplorable road in Ondo community, seek government intervention
Residents of the agrarian community described the road as a death trap.
NationWide
Stakeholders in Osun, Ondo, Ekiti call for broader participation in constitutional reforms
They also appealed to Nigerians to pay equal attention to all constitutional amendment bills, rather than focusing on the state police proposal.
Economy
SEC set to deliver sustained zero trade fail rate in T+1 settlement cycle: DG
The DG said the focus would be on full delivery-versus-payment discipline across custodians, brokers and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS).
