The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on
Wednesday stormed and occupied the Lagos house of Chika Egwu Udensi, a crew
member of the Arik Air flight W3101, who was arrested with 20 kilogrammes of
cocaine at the London Heathrow Airport.
The NDLEA moved to the house after they had
interrogated pilots and flight attendants of the flight that left the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for London on Monday night. The
interrogation lasted for several hours at the NDLEA head office in Lagos.
It was gathered that soon after the
interrogation, the NDLEA moved to the suspect’s house in the Ejigbo area of Lagos
State.
A source, who did not say if there were occupants
in the house, told one of our correspondents that the NDLEA men were “currently
occupying the house, and we will not leave here until we get all the evidence
that we want.”
It was gathered that although the operatives had
seized the suspect’s Range Rover, the NDLEA was still of the opinion that
Udensi had other property.
The source said, ‘We are investigating if he has
other property in Lagos or elsewhere. Some of them (suspected drug courier)
live simple lives, but have other valuables stashed everywhere. We are
searching for incriminating documents.”
On the interrogation, the NDLEA in a statement
said the entire crew members including some support staff that worked on the
flight before it departed Lagos appeared before narcotic investigators at the
Ikoyi headquarters of the agency.
They include two pilots and members of the cabin
crew comprising an Australian and a South African.
The statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Mr.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, read in part, “The invitation which was made by the agency
was swiftly complied with by the management of Arik Air.
“The crew members were conveyed to the NDLEA
office in an official bus belonging to Arik Air. This is part of ongoing
investigation to determine their level of involvement in the smuggling of 20 kg
of cocaine found with Chika Egwu Udensi, a member of the cabin crew in London.
“The latest Range Rover car belonging to the
prime suspect parked on the airline’s premises had also been moved to the NDLEA
office as exhibit.”
Ofoyeju also confirmed to one of our
correspondents that the operatives went to the attendant’s house, adding, “Wait
till tomorrow (Thursday). We will make a comprehensive statement on it.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer,
NDLEA, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, was said to have promised to carry out an elaborate
investigation into the ongoing case, stressing that all persons involved would
be exposed and prosecuted.
“The agency has made remarkable progress in it
counter-narcotic efforts and will resist any act capable of reversing the gains
so far recorded,” he said.
However, findings by our correspondent revealed
that the NDLEA and other aviation security officials were seriously grilling an
Arik staff member working in the catering department who is believed to have
assisted the suspect.
Security officials, it was learnt, believed that
the suspect was assisted by some staff members of Arik catering department to
move the 20 kilogrammes of cocaine into the aircraft.
One of the top security officials, who spoke to
our correspondent under the condition of anonymity, said, “Security officials
believe strongly that the 20kgs of cocaine might have been moved into the
aircraft through the Arik’s catering department. There is a prime suspect in
that department that is being interrogated specially.
“Normally, staff members of the catering
department carrying foods from the airline office to the aircraft are not
usually screened. Officials believe the bags containing the 20kgs of cocaine
may have been taken through this route.”
“The reason for this is that there is a machine
that searches the cabin crew members at the airline’s office before they go to
the airport terminal to board the plane. So if the suspect carried it himself,
he may have been caught. A major suspect in the catering department is going
through series of interrogation.”
Source: Punch
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