The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a major drug trafficker, Alhaji Suleiman Ganiu Aremu, also known as Barryshine. This follows a two-year investigation into his activities.
Suleiman, the Managing Director/CEO of Barryshine Suleiman Nigeria Ltd, had been under surveillance by the NDLEA due to his alleged involvement in four failed attempts to smuggle cocaine to Saudi Arabia and Qatar via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos between 2022 and 2024.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, revealed that Suleiman first came under the agency’s radar on November 13, 2022, when a female passenger, Alhaja Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, was arrested at MMIA with 400 grams of cocaine hidden in her footwear.
Investigations later uncovered that Abdullahi Olarenwaju Ramon, Suleiman’s brother, had hired Sidika as a drug courier.
Additionally, it was found that Suleiman funded Sidika’s travel arrangements.
A few days after Sidika’s arrest, another mule, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga, was apprehended on November 24, 2022, with the same quantity of cocaine concealed in male footwear on a flight to Saudi Arabia.
Oyenuga admitted to being hired by Wasiu Sanni Gbolahan (also known as Teacher), who was later arrested and convicted. Gbolahan had connected Oyenuga to Suleiman through an intermediary named Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye (a.k.a. Igbono, Murphy, Femi Iwaya, Ade Iwaya, Baba Eje, and Ejeoto).
Despite ongoing investigations, two more drug mules, Aikhomoun Daniel (a.k.a. Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, were arrested on June 21, 2024, at MMIA while traveling to Doha, Qatar.
Daniel had ingested 90 pellets of cocaine (1.022 kg), while Omobolaji excreted 60 wraps weighing 662 grams. Both were linked to Igbono, the same intermediary involved in the earlier cases.
Further financial investigations connected Suleiman to the arrested mules and his associates, Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon, who remain at large. As a result, the NDLEA froze the bank accounts associated with these individuals. Suleiman was eventually detained on August 26, 2024, for additional questioning.
Suleiman claimed to be involved in property development, hotel management, and a clothing business with his wife at Balogun market, Lagos.
He also stated that his frequent travels to Saudi Arabia were for religious purposes and that he holds a traditional title in Yaba.
Properties linked to Suleiman include residences at 63 and 72 Queens Street, Ebute-Meta, and Barryshine Hotel at 95 Freeman Street, Yaba, Lagos.
In response to the developments, Justice Dipeolu Deinde Isaac of the Federal High Court, Lagos, granted the NDLEA’s request to extend Suleiman’s detention for 30 days and to declare his two associates, Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye and Olanrewaju Abdullahi Ramon, wanted.
Justice Dipeolu ordered that Abidoye, also known as Igbono, and Ramon be declared wanted for their roles in drug trafficking with Suleiman.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the MMIA Strategic Command for their thorough investigation, which led to the conviction of three traffickers and the arrest of the drug kingpin.
Marwa emphasized that the law’s reach is long and will eventually catch up with those involved in drug trafficking, no matter how long it takes.
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