Lagos, Nigeria
Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a music artist, Godspower George Osahenrumwen, known professionally as Steady Boy, in connection with a major illegal drug consignment. The arrest is part of a wider series of nationwide raids that also led to the discovery of a clandestine drug laboratory in Lagos.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed in a statement on Sunday that the 20-year-old artist was detained in the affluent Lekki area of Lagos State while allegedly attempting to take delivery of drugs imported from the United States for his manager.
Musician Linked to US Drug Shipment
According to the agency, Steady Boy was arrested after a large consignment of ‘Loud,’ a highly potent strain of cannabis, was intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
- The drugs, weighing 77.20kg (170 lbs), were concealed inside three cartons of bathtubs and were shipped aboard a DHL flight from the US.
- The musician was apprehended at Bougain Villa in Lekki when he presented himself as the consignee for the drugs.
- He was reportedly acting on behalf of a syndicate that includes his manager, Zion Osazee Omigie (a.k.a. Zee Money), who is currently at large.
Major ‘Colorado’ Lab Dismantled
In a separate operation in Lagos, the NDLEA announced the discovery of a major illicit drug production facility in the Ajao Estate area, following months of intelligence gathering.
The agency uncovered a clandestine laboratory being used to produce ‘Colorado,’ a psychoactive substance often involving cannabis derivatives and synthetic cannabinoids. The suspected owner of the laboratory was arrested, and agents recovered significant quantities of materials, including:
- 16.2 kilograms of freshly cooked ‘Colos’ (Colorado).
- 1.7kg of ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol (a synthetic cannabinoid).
- Chemical precursors including 4.5kg of Potassium Carbonate and 91 litres of Dibromobutane.
Nationwide Clampdown
The arrests of the musician and the lab operator were part of a coordinated series of raids carried out by the NDLEA across multiple Nigerian states, targeting drug distribution networks:
- Lagos: Agents seized 16.4kg of ‘Ghana Loud’ and other designer drug sachets from a 28-year-old dealer, Afeez Salisu (alias Malu), in the Mushin area.
- Kaduna/Bauchi: An operation along the Abuja–Jos highway intercepted 84,710 capsules of Tramadol en route to Bauchi. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the recipient, Musa Abdulkarim, 27.
- Ogun: Three suspects were arrested in Abeokuta after tracking their movement from Benin Republic, leading to the recovery of a total of 1,779kg of skunk.
- Edo & Ondo: Large hauls of skunk were recovered, with 1,455kg intercepted in two Toyota Sienna buses in Edo State and 2,829kg linked to a female suspect in Ondo State.
Agency Vows to ‘Dismantle’ Syndicates
In concluding the statement, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended his officers, vowing that the agency “will continue to target and dismantle every identified drug syndicate in any part of Nigeria.”
The agency highlighted its increased enforcement effectiveness, reporting that it had secured the conviction of 9,263 drug offenders out of 45,853 suspects arrested across the country in the last two and a half years, during which over 8.5 million kilograms of various illicit drugs were seized.
Add Comment