In a significant legal development today, the Lagos Federal High Court granted an ex parte application filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), allowing the agency to extend the detention of a notorious drug kingpin, Suleiman Aremu Ganiu, also known by his alias “Barryshine,” for an additional 30 days.
This ruling was delivered by Justice Deinde Dipeolu, who presided over the case after carefully considering the arguments presented by Barrister Abu Ibrahim, counsel to the NDLEA.
The NDLEA, in its application, argued that the extension of Ganiu’s detention was necessary to facilitate a comprehensive investigation into his alleged involvement in extensive drug trafficking activities.
According to the anti-narcotics agency, Ganiu, who has been in their custody since August 26, 2024, is implicated in multiple drug seizures intended for destinations including Saudi Arabia and Doha in the United Arab Emirates.
The NDLEA’s application also sought the court’s approval to declare two individuals, Oluwafemi Akande Abidoye, also known by several aliases such as “Igbona,” “Murphy,” “Femi Iwaya,” and others, and Olarenwaju Ramon Abdulahi, wanted for their involvement in drug trafficking activities linked to Ganiu. Both individuals are currently at large and are believed to have played significant roles in the drug operations.
In support of their motion, the NDLEA presented an affidavit deposed to by Thompson Fatogun, an operative of the agency. The affidavit detailed several arrests and drug seizures that implicated Ganiu and his associates.
One such incident occurred on November 13, 2022, when Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of a Qatar Airways flight to Saudi Arabia. Sidika was found with 400 grams of cocaine concealed in footwear. During the investigation into Sidika’s arrest, both Abdulahi and Ganiu were implicated.
The affidavit further revealed that on November 24, 2022, another individual, Lawal Lateef Oyenuga, was arrested at MMIA while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Saudi Arabia with 400 grams of cocaine hidden in footwear. Ganiu was again implicated as the sponsor and financier of this drug trafficking operation, while Abidoye was identified as the middleman.
Another notable arrest mentioned in the affidavit occurred on June 21, 2024, when Aikhomoun Daniel was arrested at MMIA during the outward clearance of a Qatar Airways flight to Doha. Daniel was found to have ingested 1.022 kilograms of cocaine. The investigation into Daniel’s arrest once again implicated both Ganiu and Abidoye as key figures in the drug trafficking network.
The affidavit also highlighted the complexity of the ongoing investigation, which involves collaboration with foreign anti-narcotics agencies. Due to the intricate nature of the case, the NDLEA emphasized the need for additional time to conduct a thorough and far-reaching investigation into Ganiu’s alleged criminal activities.
After carefully reviewing the evidence and arguments presented, Justice Dipeolu granted all the reliefs sought by the NDLEA, thereby allowing the agency to continue its investigation while keeping Ganiu in custody for another 30 days. This ruling marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to dismantle a major drug trafficking network with international connections.
