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A major drug trafficking syndicate operating in Lagos has been dismantled by police operatives, with hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud valued at N7.8 billion recovered from an apartment in the Mende area of Maryland.
The alleged kingpin, Eke Henry Ifeanyi, was among several suspects arrested following months of surveillance coordinated by the Zone 2 Command, police said on Saturday.
Assistant Inspector-General of Police Olohundare Jimoh told journalists at the scene that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring.
According to Jimoh, Ifeanyi allegedly made a desperate attempt to derail the operation by offering the commander of the Special Protection Unit a N500 million bribe.
“The suspect offered N500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere,” Jimoh said.
The offer was flatly rejected and documented for further investigation, he added.
“The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
Jimoh said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and the renewed professionalism within the Force. The raid was carried out by the SPU alongside divisional police detectives.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu commended the operatives, saying the rejection of the bribe reflected the standard expected from personnel.
“Policing must be close to the people, and our specialised units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground,” Disu said.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a N500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
