Court Declares Four Drug Traffickers Wanted in NDLEA Request
Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) permission to declare four suspected drug traffickers wanted. The suspects—Olarenwaju Ramon Abdulai (a.k.a. Alhaji Loyingbo), Olufemi Akande Abioye (a.k.a. ‘Igbono’ and ‘Baba Eje’), Femi Iwaya (a.k.a. ‘Ade Iwaya’), and Alate Kafy Bakare Bukki (of KaffyTravels)—are alleged associates of Suleiman Aremu Ganiu, known as ‘Barryshine,’ who is facing drug trafficking charges in court.
The court’s order, issued on Tuesday, followed an ex parte application filed by the NDLEA’s counsel, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, who argued that the four suspects were involved in drug trafficking operations linked to Ganiu, who is currently on trial for conspiracy and the unlawful exportation of narcotics. The agency has sought a public notice with the suspects’ photographs to aid their capture.
According to the NDLEA, the suspects were implicated in several drug trafficking incidents. On November 13, 2022, Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with 400 grams of cocaine concealed in footwear, in connection with Ganiu. Investigations revealed Abdulai and Ganiu’s involvement in the scheme, with Akande Abioye also implicated as the middleman.
Later, on November 24, 2022, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga was arrested at the same airport with 400 grams of cocaine hidden in his shoes, allegedly financed by Ganiu. Similarly, on June 21, 2024, another arrest was made at the airport, involving Aikhomoun Daniel, who had ingested 1.022 kilograms of cocaine for export to Doha. Abioye and Ganiu were again implicated in this case.
In a related case on the same day, Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji was arrested with 662 grams of cocaine, with both Abioye and Olufemi Ilori implicated as recruiters for Ganiu.
In the ongoing trial of Ganiu, the prosecutor, Mr. Ibrahim, informed the court that the NDLEA had received a bundle of documents, including Aremu’s statement of accounts, which required further examination. He requested an adjournment to ensure the defendant’s right to a fair hearing. Both the defense counsel and the court agreed, and Justice Aluko adjourned the case until March 28, 2025.
The NDLEA continues its efforts to bring the suspects to justice, with the court’s ruling marking a significant step in addressing the ongoing drug trafficking operations.
