Lagos
socialite and alcoholic beverage distributor, Fumilola Arike Ogbuaya, also
known as Arike Fumilola Ogundipe, who has been on the run since February 2017
over her indictment for the unlawful exportation of 1.595kg of cocaine to Saudi
Arabia, has reported herself to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport
(MMIA) Command, Lagos, of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
NDLEA
spokesman Mitchell Ofoyeju confirmed this in a statement released to the press.
He explained
that Mrs. Ogbuaya was declared
wanted by the anti-narcotics agency after an investigation into
Odeyemi Omolara Morayo, who was arrested while attempting to smuggle cocaine
from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia, implicated the socialite in the drug smuggling
scheme.
Mr. Ofoyeju
said that the NDLEA has also secured an interim forfeiture order of Mrs.
Ogbuaya’s assets worth billions of naira after she ignored several of the
agency’s invitations for questioning.
Among the
assets are expensive properties located in Lagos, Ogun, and Osun States.
Col.
Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.), Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, further
confirmed the development, adding that a thorough investigation is ongoing.
Mr. Mustapha
explained that the NDLEA remains committed to its statutory functions in the
campaign against drug cultivation, trafficking and abuse.
“We are also
working to prevent drug cartels from enjoying the proceeds of illicit drugs. Sequel
to the investigation of assets traced to the suspect, the agency has secured an
interim forfeiture while efforts are ongoing to get a final forfeiture,"
he said.
The NDLEA
boss noted that asset forfeiture was an important requirement in the NDLEA Act
and assured that no stone would be left unturned in the race for total
incapacitation of drug traffickers.
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