A fleeing drug kingpin for nine years that Onyeaghalachi Stephen Nwagwugwu, has been arrested.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) spokesperson Femi Babafemi said on Tuesday in Abuja that operatives picked up Nwagwugwu nine years after he was declared wanted.
Nwagwugwu was one of two brothers who reportedly serve as major sources of illicit drug supplies in the southern parts of the country.
Babafemi revealed that Nwagwugwu’s elder brother, Eze Kaleb Stephen, also wanted, escaped in the overnight operation carried out simultaneously in the suspects’ two locations: Umuahia and Ntigha Okpuola community in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.
He said the two notorious brothers began a career in the illicit drug business since the late 90s when they started as pocket dealers before they later established smoking joints/bunks in their community, Ntigha Okpuola and subsequently grew to become barons; owning hotels, houses in choice areas of Abia, Rivers and Imo states, with exotic cars in their homes.
“The NDLEA has been on their trail since 2013 when they organized 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,” Babafemi said.
Babafemi said the latest effort to arrest the duo to book and end their criminal trade was launched four months ago, leading to a simultaneous raid on their locations on Saturday.
He said the younger brother, Nwagwugwu, lives in Umuahia, the Abia State capital was successfully arrested, while 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 Kingsley Monday, was also arrested.
Babafemi further revealed that quantities of cocaine and variants of cannabis were recovered from the two houses while the agency has so far sealed two hotels, one eatery, two mansions linked to them and recovered three exotic vehicles from their homes as efforts are ongoing to trace more of their bank accounts and properties.
The hotels sealed include 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.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), praised the operatives of the agency involved in the operation as well as men of the military who provided support.
Marwa said it is in the interest of the fleeing baron to turn himself in before the agency smokes him out because there would be no hiding place for him.
