NDLEA Arrests Drug Baron, Afam Ukatu Behind N3bn Tramadol Linked To Abba Kyari

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested the chairman of Mallinson group of companies, Afam Ukatu, over an alleged N3 billion tramadol deal linked to the suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

Afam Ukatu Arrested Over Drugs Link To Abba Kyari

The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said Ukatu was arrested on a flight to Abuja from Lagos airport on Wednesday, April 13.

Babafemi alleged that Utaku owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he uses as a cover up to import illicit drugs into the country.

He said investigations revealed that the suspect is a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride.

The NDLEA spokesperson said Utaku has been under the watch of the agency since 2021 after undercover police officers from Kyari’s team seized five cartons of tramadol from one of his staff.

The statement reads, “Billionaire drug baron behind the N3 billion Tramadol deal involving the embattled suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari-led Intelligence Response Team, IRT, Chief Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

“After months of surveillance and evading arrest, Ukatu who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies was eventually nabbed onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April.

“Investigations reveal he’s been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit.

“Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria. This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.

“Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on 4th May 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to Ukatu) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos.

“The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18 million and N20 million a carton in Lagos.

“After the arrest of Ukatu’s staff: Pius Enidom and Sunday Ibekwete, Kyaris men were then led by the suspects to Mallinson’s warehouse at Ojota in Lagos where 197 additional Cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized by the IRT Team. The monetary value of the 202 cartons of Tramadol seized from Mallinson in one day was over N3 billion.

“Three weeks after the seizure, the Kyaris IRT team transferred only 12 Cartons of the Tramadol with one truck and a suspect to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, leaving 190 cartons unaccounted for.”

“After over eight months of following the lead, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency eventually arrested Ukatu at the Lagos airport on 13th April 2022. Kyari and four top members of his team are already facing trial for a different but similar offence at a Federal High Court in Abuja.”

KanyiDaily recalls that the NDLEA had arraigned Kyari and six others defendants before the Federal High Court in Abuja on an eight-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences.