"The Agency has since blocked the sum of Eighty Million Naira traced to the account and obtained a court order to seize all properties, including a fuel station linked to the suspects in Lagos and Port Harcourt".
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a Rivers state-based famous prophetess and founder of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, Faith Ugochi, and a celebrity couple - Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen- wanted.
The trio are accused of recruiting teenage girls into drug trafficking while acting as contact points for an international syndicate operating from Los Angeles, USA.
The NDLEA broke the news on their official Twitter pages on Sunday.
NDLEA declares prophetess, celebrity couple, wanted over seized illicit drugs. Arrests 4 members of cartel, obtains court order to freeze millions in bank accounts, seize Lagos, Port Harcourt properties linked to leaders of syndicate pic.twitter.com/FImyDAC3y1-- NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) April 2, 2023
NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, intercepted a consignment of 32.70 kilograms of Loud, a potent variant of cannabis concealed in cartons of used wear, on 16th November 2022.
A freight agent, Ukoh Ifeanyi Oguguo, was immediately arrested.
Further investigations led to the arrest of four more suspects; Chikodi Favour, Obiyom Shalom Chiamaka; Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana).
According to a statement by the NDLEA, Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) have already been charged in court. They are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
They were charged alongside Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company which had been linked to two previous drug seizures and also involved in the current case.
The NDLEA, however, said that several attempts to get Prophetess Faith Ugochi, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen submit themselves for questioning have proved abortive.
Evading arrest
According to a statement signed by the NDLEA's Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a letter of invitation sent to the Prophetess on 28th November 2022 was received and acknowledged by her mother, with whom she runs the church.
"The letter was followed with a reminder on 9th January 2023, after a long wait. In the same vein, letters of invitation were also extended to Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen.
"A reminder was also sent when the couple was not ready to respond to the first invitation. While Prophetess Ugochi fled her home and went into hiding but continued her prophetic ministry on Facebook, the duo of Igho and Danielle initially sent a legal representation to ask for another time to honour the invitation; they have since gone incommunicado," the statement reads.
It further accused the celebrity couple of hurriedly moving all funds traced to their company Lasgidi Backwood Ltd where all proceeds from the sales of illicit drugs were deposited into a private account of one Victor Imagoro.
"The Agency has since blocked the sum of Eighty Million Naira (N80,000,000) traced to the account and obtained a court order to seize all properties, including a fuel station linked to the suspects in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
"The NDLEA has further sought and obtained an order of the Federal High Court Lagos to declare wanted the celebrity," the statement adds.
Trafficking
According to the drug law agency, one Favour, a 15-year-old, was the first sales girl to be arrested at a fuel station in the Ajah area of Lagos.
She then led the operatives to a duplex accommodation around the Ikate area of Lekki, later discovered to be a rented apartment by the criminal group purposely for four young girls that the syndicate uses for marketing and distribution of illicit drugs.
"Another girl, Shalom, a fresh graduate of Agricultural Science from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, was picked from the house alongside Favour," it said.
Drug ring
According to the NDLEA, during their preliminary interviews, it was learnt that the syndicate rented another building used as a drugs warehouse inside Richmond Estate, Lekki.
When operatives located the house, it was discovered that other syndicate members had broken into the store and carted away bags of illicit substances.
However, some illegal drug paraphernalia, including sealing machines, bloating machines and packaging bags, were recovered from the warehouse.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Edward Omatseye at his residence around the Lekki area. Edward confessed during an interview to be working for Igho and his wife, Danielle, who are identified as the overall heads of the criminal group, the NDLEA revealed.
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It further stated that its investigation established that Favour and Shalom were recruited as salesgirls in the illicit drug trade by Prophetess Ugochi.
They claimed she uses her church platform to recruit teenage girls brought to her for help on behalf of the celebrity couple, Igho Ubiribo (aka Tiny) and Danielle Simba Allen (aka Dani), who are the owners of the business.
Celebrity couple
Not much is known about Igho Ubiribo. Danielle Allen, on the other hand, is a Zimbabwean fashion designer.
She holds a degree in hospitality management and is the founder and owner of TIR Fashion House.
Born to Zimbabwean parents, Ms Allen has won numerous awards, including the Emerging Designer Of the Year at the Africa Fashion Week London 2014.
She was once rumoured to be romantically involved with a dandy Nigerian politician and billionaire who was once married to a famous Nollywood actress turned politician.
On 9th January 2022 in Harare, the couple had an intimate marriage ceremony that Davido and other Zimbabwean celebrities attended.
