A 56-year-old drug trafficker, Lawal Oyenuga, who was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said the need to pay his daughter’s school fees was the reason for his involvement in drug trafficking.
The suspect made this confession after he was arrested at the screening point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement signed by NDLEA’s Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, Oyenuga’s mission to deliver 400 grams of the class A drug concealed in a pair of black palm sandals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia through Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airways flight was thwarted after he was nabbed.
Upon interrogation, Oyenuga claimed he was recruited into drug trafficking the drug by one Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan popularly known as Teacher.
The suspect said he was first given some pellets of cocaine to swallow but when he could not do that, he was then given the ones concealed in the palm sandals.
The statement reads, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the weekend, disrupted the activities of a major cocaine syndicate in Lagos following the arrest of a 56-year-old trafficker, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga, who was on a mission to deliver 400grams of the class A drug concealed in a pair of palm sandals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the swift follow-up arrest of a wanted notorious kingpin, Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan, popularly known as Teacher, who recruits mules for the cartel.
“NDLEA operatives attached to the screening point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos had on Thursday 24th November intercepted Lawal Lateef Oyenuga with a pair of black palm sandals packed in the luggage he was going with to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airways flight.
“A thorough examination of the sandals revealed they were used to conceal two parcels of cocaine weighing 400 grams.
“In his statement, Oyenuga claimed he was recruited to traffic the drug by Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan popularly known as Teacher, adding that he was first given some pellets of cocaine to swallow but when he couldnt do that, then he was given the ones concealed in the palm sandals.
“He said he resorted to the criminal trade to raise money to pay an examination fee for his daughter who is in Senior Secondary School class 3.
“The Agency’s database reveals Wasiu Sanni (Teacher) has been linked to some previous attempts to traffic cocaine to Saudi Arabia and Dubai, UAE. He was earlier named as the one who recruited a BRT driver, Bolajoko Muyiwa Babalola, for Lagos socialite and owner of Adekaz Hotels, Alhaji Ademola Afolabi Kazeem (a.k.a Alhaji Abdallah Kazeem Muhammed), to traffic drugs to Dubai.
“A follow-up operation in the early hours of Friday 25th November led to the arrest of the kingpin, Teacher, who specialises in recruiting mules for drug barons in Lagos and its environs at his residence located in Ikorodu area of Lagos. The 64-year-old Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan is a housing and property agent, with seven children and four wives, one of whom is now late.”
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