The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended the general overseer of Christ Living Hope Church, Rev. Ugochukwu Ekwem, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos over alleged drug peddling.
The preacher has his church headquarters in Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu road, Awka, Awka North LGA, Anambra State and two other branches in Lagos and Abuja.
Ekwem was arrested on March 7 during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi via Addis Ababa, a statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman Femi Babafemi said.
The cleric was arrested while on his way to a three-week crusade in Nairobi, Kenya, with 54 sticks of drugs wrapped around his body.
The statement read, “On the same day, another passenger, Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King who arrived the airport on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa was intercepted during the inward clearance of passengers at the E-Arrival Hall of the MMIA. During a search of his luggage, forty (40) parcels of Cocaine concealed inside bottles of body cream with a gross weight of 9.70kg were recovered from the suspect.
“Three days later, Wednesday 9th March, another passenger on Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy, Mr. Edo Blessing was intercepted at the Departure Hall of the airport with 2, 090 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and Flunitrazepam. The suspect who hails from Edo state but lives in Italy claimed ownership of the recovered psychotropic substances.
“Also on the same day, operatives arrested a freight agent, Rafiu Abbas at the NAHCO Export Shed of the airport when he presented a cargo containing 19.15kg cannabis going to London. The illicit substance was concealed inside plastic containers labelled as ‘African Dishes’ and packed in a bag.”
