A Lagos socialite has been declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in connection with drug trafficking.
The Lagos socialite and suspected drug baroness, Fumilola Arike Ogbuaya, also known as Arike Fumilola Ogundipe was according to the agency allegedly involved in the smuggling of 1.595kg of cocaine from Murtala Muhammed International Airport to Saudi Arabia in February 2017.
The NDLEA in a statement issued via its spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju noted that the suspected drug baroness’ multi-billion naira assets are also under investigation.
The agency which believes the assets were acquired from the proceeds of the drug trafficking business revealed that it commenced investigations into the suspected drug baroness, Mrs. Ogbuaya after one Odeyemi Omolara Morayo, also known as Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi was rearrested for drug trafficking.
The agency in the statement released noted that investigations into the rearrested Mr. Morayo’s case implicated Mrs. Ogbuaya.
The agency noted that it had invited the Lagos socialite for questioning but she has refused to appear before it leading to a raid of her Lagos home by the anti-narcotics agency’s operatives.
“The agency is therefore investigating several landed properties worth several billions of naira traced to Mrs Fumilola Arike Ogbuaya a.k.a. Arike Fumilola Ogundipe in Lagos, Ogun and Osun States.
“The assets include Arike Plaza, some plots of land, and buildings in strategic locations. The Lagos socialite, who is a distributor of alcoholic drinks, is needed by the NDLEA in an ongoing investigation. She hails from Ilesa, Osun State.”
The NDLEA Chief Executive, Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, further vowed to uncover the case and bring it to a logical conclusion.
“The agency is building capacity for elaborate investigation and this is a test case of pressing beyond a drug mule to the financiers of drug trafficking. We are determined to dislodge drug trafficking cartels and also trace their ill-gotten wealth which must be forfeited to the federal government.”