NDLEA arrests Abia drug cartel leader, brother escapes

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has nabbed one of the two brothers that are major drug dealers in South-East and South-South, who they have been tracking for the last nine years.

A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, said one of two brothers, who serve as major sources of illicit drug supplies in the South-East and South-South parts of the country, Onyeaghalachi Nwagwugwu Stephen, was arrested by NDLEA after nine years of being on  the run.

Babafemi added that the elder brother, Eze Kaleb Stephen, who is also wanted, narrowly escaped during the overnight operation carried out simultaneously in two locations; Umuahia and Ntigha Okpuola communities in the Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.

He said, “Investigations showed that the two notorious brothers began a career in the illicit drug business since the late 90s when they started as pocket dealers before they later established smoking joints/bunks in their community, Ntigha Okpuola and subsequently grew to become barons; owning hotels, houses in choice areas of Abia, Rivers and Imo states with exotic cars in their homes.

“The NDLEA has been on their trail since 2013 when they organised a mob attack on some of the agency’s operatives who attempted to apprehend them during a raid. One of the officers attacked then is still bedridden till date.

“The two drug lords own armed militia guarding their houses and drug stores, where they deal in assorted illicit substances like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine (Mpuru-miri), Loud/Arizona and all sorts.”

He said a fresh bid to bring the duo to book and end their criminal trade was launched four months ago, leading to a simultaneous raid operation on their locations on Saturday.

“While the younger brother, Onyeaghalachi Stephen Nwagwugwu, who lives in Umuahia, the Abia State capital was successfully arrested, the elder brother, Eze Kaleb Stephen, narrowly escaped when his Ntigha Okpuola community home was stormed by operatives backed by men of the Nigerian Army. In the course of the operation, one of their militiamen, Eberechi Kingsley Monday, was also arrested.

“During the raid, quantities of cocaine and variants of cannabis were recovered from the two houses while the agency has so far sealed two hotels, one eatery and two mansions linked to them. Also recovered are three exotic vehicles from their homes. Efforts are ongoing to trace more of their bank accounts and properties,” Babafemi added.