The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has arrested a wanted suspected drug baron, Ganiu Suleiman aka Barryshine, in Lagos.
Suleiman has been under the NDLEA’s watch for more than two years.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said Suleiman was the Managing Director of Barryshine Suleiman Nigeria Limited and came under the agency’s watch over his alleged role in four failed attempts to export cocaine to Saudi Arabia and Qatar between 2022 and this year.
He added that the suspect’s name first featured on NDLEA’s list on November 13, 2022, when a female passenger on a Qatar Airlines flight to Saudi Arabia, Alhaja Ajisegiri Sidika was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, in possession of 400 grams of cocaine.
He said an investigation later revealed that one Abdullahi Olarenwaju Ramon, who was a brother to Suleiman, hired the arrested drug courier.
Babafemi said: “Further facts emerged that the flight tickets and other travel expenses of the suspect were sourced by Suleiman.
“A few days after the arrest of Sidika, another drug mule, Lateef Lawal was also arrested on November 24, 2022, with the same quantity of cocaine concealed in male footwear while going to the same destination, Saudi Arabia.
“The suspect, Lawal, confessed that one Wasiu Sanni (aka Teacher), who was later arrested and convicted by the court, hired him for Suleiman.
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“Lawal further alleged that Wasiu linked him up with the baron through one Igbono, who was later unveiled through investigation as Oluwafemi Abidoye (aka Igbono, Murphy, Femi Iwaya, Ade Iwaya, Baba Eje and Ejeoto).
“While the investigation of the two cases subsisted and the manhunt for the baron was ongoing, two drug mules were arrested at the MMIA on June 21, 2024, on their way to Doha, Qatar.
“One of the suspects who was later identified as Aikhomoun Daniel aka Oladapo Olanrewaju expelled in observation custody a total of 90 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.022kg.
“The suspect had ingested the 90 pellets of cocaine while the second suspect, Ayigoro Omobolaji, also excreted 60 wraps of cocaine with a total weight of 662 grams.
“Further investigation later revealed that the two arrested couriers, Aikhomoun Daniel, and Ayigoro Omobolaji were recruited by the same Igbono who worked for the baron and featured in 2022 during the arrest of Ajesegiri Sidika and Lateef Lawal.
“Another investigation conducted by the agency also linked Suleiman to the arrested suspects and two of his associates who recruited traffickers for him – Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon, both currently at large.
“As a result, the agency blocked the bank accounts linked to members of the cartel after which Suleiman was eventually taken into custody on August 26, 2024, for further investigation.
“In his statements, Suleiman claimed he is into property development and hotel management while he lives in Lagos and Paris, France.
“He also stated that he runs another business that deals in clothing with his wife at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, claiming that his regular visits to Saudi Arabia were to perform lesser hajj.
“The suspect said he holds the traditional title of Akeweje of Yaba (Youth Leader of Yaba Land). Already, some properties traced to Suleiman include two houses at 63 and 72 Queens Street, Ebute-Meta, and his Barryshine hotel at 95 Freeman Street, Yaba, Lagos.”
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