The ongoing investigation of a suspected drug baron, Chief Afam Ukatu, linked to Abba Kyari, by The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has led to the discovery of how the suspect allegedly imported into Nigeria in a single month, October 2019, two containers containing 1,284 cartons of Tramadol with market value of over N22 billion.
This statement was made by the agency yesterday when it was reacting to insinuations that NDLEA has no evidence against Ukatu, who is Chairman/CEO of Mallinson Group of Companies.
Recall that Ukatu was arrested on board a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on April 13, 2022.
NDLEA in the statement said: “Investigations reveal he has been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg to 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.”
The agency said in the course of investigating the N3 billion Tramadol saga between Ukatu and the Abba Kyari’s IRT team, its operatives unearthed more evidences establishing how Ukatu has been importing large quantities of Tramadol far above the approved threshold allowed into the country.
It alleged that in one instance, Ukatu through his Mallinson Group of Companies imported into the country, two-conatiner loads of five different brands of Tramadol in October 2019 through the Apapa ports in Lagos.
“All the evidences so far gathered show that the imported Tramadol brands were far above the threshold permitted to be imported into Nigeria. No doubt, the suspect will soon have his day in court,” it added.
