The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has once again apprehended Christian Ogbuji, a 48-year-old businessman, for drug-related offenses.
Ogbuji was initially detained at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 10, 2023, upon his arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa.
He had ingested 93 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.986kg. Subsequently, he was prosecuted and convicted on July 13, 2023, at the Federal High Court 12 Abuja, presided over by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023, and convicted on July 13, 2023 with the option of a two-year imprisonment or a fine of N3,000,000.00, of which he chose to pay the fine.
However, Ogbuji was once again arrested on September 18, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for attempting to import 817 wraps of cocaine, weighing 19.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of N4,656,000,000.00.
The drugs were concealed in a backpack hidden inside his luggage. Ogbuji, identified as a key figure in a drug cartel operating across several countries, admitted to using deceptive tactics to avoid detection by law enforcement.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, reported that Ogbuji's involvement in drug trafficking extends across Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and other West African countries, including Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire.