Operatives of the the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a suspected drug baron, Onyeaghalachi Stephen, for allegedly supplying illicit drugs in the South-East and South-South regions of the country.
The spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, said Onyeaghalachi’s elder brother, Eze, who was also wanted, narrowly escaped during the overnight operation carried out simultaneously at two of their locations in Umuahia and Ntigha Okpuola community, in the Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.
Babafemi explained that the NDLEA had been trailing Onyeaghalachi for nine years and the agency’s Chairman, Buba Marwa, had declared the fleeing baron wanted and demanded he turn himself in.
He noted that during the raid, quantities of cocaine and variants of cannabis were recovered from the two houses, adding that the agency had so far sealed two hotels, one eatery, two mansions that were linked to them and recovered three exotic vehicles from their homes as efforts were ongoing to trace more of their bank accounts and properties.
According to Babafemi, the sealed property included Jahlove Hotel, Mbawsi, Isiala Ngwa North LGA; Noicyhl Luxury Hotel, Aba -Port-Harcourt expressway, Aba and Royal Cruise Fast Food, Enugu- Port Harcourt expressway, Isiala Ngwa North LGA, all in Abia State.
He added that a fresh bid to bring the duo to book and end their criminal trade was launched four months ago, leading to a simultaneous raid operation on their locations on Saturday, November 26 2022.
Babafemi said, “The NDLEA has been on their trail since 2013 when they organised a mob attack on some of the agency’s operatives who attempted to apprehend them during a raid. At least, one of the officers attacked then is still bedridden till date.
“The two drug lords equally own armed militia guarding their houses and drug stores, where they deal in assorted illicit substances like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine (Mpuru-miri), Loud/Arizona and all sorts.
“While the younger brother, Onyeaghalachi Stephen, who lives in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, was successfully arrested, the elder brother, Eze Stephen, narrowly escaped when his Ntigha Okpuola community home was stormed by operatives backed by men of the Nigerian Army. In the course of the operation, one of their militiamen, Eberechi Monday was also arrested.”