Baron Linked to N3bn Kyari’s Drug Deal in NDLEA Net
An industrialist and billionaire, Chief Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over his alleged connection with the N3billion tradamol seizure involving the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of the Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari.
In a statement, the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said on Monday that Ukata was arrested after months of surveillance.
Ukata who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies, was picked up onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2, Lagos on April 13, according to NDLEA.
The statement said the suspect is behind the N3billion tramadol deal in which Kyari was linked.
Babagemi in the statement said the man operates 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.
Part of the statement reads, “Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to Ukatu) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos. The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18million and N20million a carton in Lagos.
“After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyari’s men were then led by the suspects to Mallinson’s warehouse at Ojota in Lagos where 197 additional Cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized by the IRT Team. The monetary value of the 202 cartons of Tramadol seized from Mallinson in one day was over N3billion.
“Three weeks after the seizure, the Kyari’s IRT team transferred only 12 Cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for.
“After over eight months of following the lead, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency eventually arrested Ukatu at the Lagos airport on 13th April 2022. Kyari and four top members of his team are already facing trial for a different but similar offence at a Federal High Court in Abuja.”
Ukata is said to have won several award and director of several companies.
Kyari has been in NDLEA detention for some months now over allegation of drug deals.
In a statement, the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said on Monday that Ukata was arrested after months of surveillance.
Ukata who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies, was picked up onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2, Lagos on April 13, according to NDLEA.
The statement said the suspect is behind the N3billion tramadol deal in which Kyari was linked.
Babagemi in the statement said the man operates 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.
Part of the statement reads, “Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to Ukatu) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos. The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18million and N20million a carton in Lagos.
“After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyari’s men were then led by the suspects to Mallinson’s warehouse at Ojota in Lagos where 197 additional Cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized by the IRT Team. The monetary value of the 202 cartons of Tramadol seized from Mallinson in one day was over N3billion.
“Three weeks after the seizure, the Kyari’s IRT team transferred only 12 Cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for.
“After over eight months of following the lead, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency eventually arrested Ukatu at the Lagos airport on 13th April 2022. Kyari and four top members of his team are already facing trial for a different but similar offence at a Federal High Court in Abuja.”
Ukata is said to have won several award and director of several companies.
Kyari has been in NDLEA detention for some months now over allegation of drug deals.
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