The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) said on Friday that it arrested a suspected drug baron Ganiu Suleiman aka Barryshine two years after it started tracking him.
NDLEA’s spokesman Femi Babafemi said Mr Suleiman was the managing director/CEO of Barryshine Suleiman Nigeria Ltd, adding that he came under the agency’s watchlist over his alleged role in four foiled attempts to export cocaine to Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Babafemi said the foiled attempts occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos between 2022 and 2024.
He added that Barryshine’s name first featured on November 13, 2022, when a female passenger on Qatar Airlines flight to Saudi Arabia Ajisegiri Sidika was arrested in possession of 400 grams of cocaine, which was concealed inside female footwear.
He also said that the investigation later revealed that Abdullahi Ramon, who was a brother to Suleiman, allegedly hired the arrested drug courier.
“Further facts emerged that the flight tickets and other travel expenses of the suspect were sourced by Suleiman,” said Babafemi.
“A few days after the arrest of Sidika, another drug mule, Lateef Lawal was also arrested on November 24, 2022, with the same quantity of cocaine, 400 grams, concealed in male footwear while going to the same destination, Saudi Arabia.
“The suspect, Lawal confessed that one Wasiu Sanni (a.k.a Teacher) who was later arrested and convicted by the court, hired him for Suleiman.
“Lawal further alleged that Wasiu linked him up with the baron through one Igbono, who was later unveiled through investigation as Oluwafemi Abidoye (a.k.a Igbono, Murphy, Femi Iwaya, Ade Iwaya, Baba Eje and Ejeoto).”
Babafemi noted that while the investigation of the two cases subsisted and the manhunt for the baron was ongoing, two drug mules were arrested on June 21, 2024, on their way to Doha, Qatar.
Babafemi said that one of the suspects who was later identified as Aikhomoun Daniel (aka Oladapo Olanrewaju) expelled in observation custody a total of 90 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.022kg.
He said the second suspect Ayigoro Omobolaji excreted 60 wraps of cocaine with a total weight of 662 grams.
He also said that investigation revealed that the two arrested couriers were recruited by Igbono.
Babafemi said Barryshine was eventually taken into custody on August 26.
“In his statements, Suleiman claimed he is into property development and hotel management while he lives in Lagos and Paris, France.
“He also stated that he runs another business that deals in clothes with his wife at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, adding that his regular visits to Saudi Arabia were to perform lesser hajj.
“He said he holds the traditional title of Akeweje of Yaba (Youth Leader of Yaba Land). Already, some properties traced to Suleiman include two houses at 63 and 72 Queens Street, Ebute-Meta and his Barryshine hotel at 95 Freeman Street, Yaba, Lagos,” he said.
Babafemi said Justice Dipeolu Deinde of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted an application by the NDLEA for the extension of the detention of the alleged drug kingpin for 30 days.
Babafemi said that the Justice also granted an application to declare his two associates: Oluwafemi Abidoye and Olanrewaju Ramon, both currently at large, wanted.
According to the statement, NDLEA chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) commended the officers for the painstaking two-year investigation.
