Bariu Aliu, also known as Malo, the traditional chief priest of the Igunuko shrine in Alpha Beach, Ajah, Lekki, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after a three-month search. Aliu’s capture follows the seizure of 2,760kg of skunk from the shrine on October 25, 2024. Two of his accomplices had been apprehended earlier and convicted for their involvement in the operation, but Aliu had remained at large until now.
The NDLEA’s operation does not end there. In a separate crackdown at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, operatives intercepted 338,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup, valued at over N1.19 billion in street value. The drugs were concealed in two containers and discovered during a joint examination with the Customs Service and other security agencies.
Additionally, a significant drug bust occurred at a logistics firm in Lagos, where the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) seized 20 wraps of cocaine weighing 330 grams. The cocaine, which was concealed in face cream containers, was destined for Australia.