Prophetess, celebrity couple declared wanted over drug trafficking

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Sunday declared a Port Harcourt-based popular prophetess and founder of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, Faith Ugochi, and a celebrity couple, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen, wanted for recruiting teenage girls into drug trafficking.

Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that the prophetess and the celebrity couple were the arrowheads of an international illicit drugs syndicate operating from Los Angeles, USA.

The statement read in part, “The lid was blown off the cartel when NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted a consignment of 32.70 kilogrammes of Loud, a strong variant of cannabis, concealed in cartons of used wears on Wednesday 16th November 2022.

“A freight agent, Ukoh Ifeanyi Oguguo, was immediately arrested while further investigations led to the arrest of four more suspects: Chikodi Favour; Obiyom Shalom Chiamaka; Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana).

“The 15-year-old Favour was the first sales girl to be arrested at a fuel station in the Ajah area of Lagos. She thereafter led the operatives to a duplex accommodation around Ikate area of Lekki, which was later discovered to be a rented apartment by the criminal group purposely for four young girls that the syndicate uses for marketing and distribution of illicit drugs.

“Another girl, Shalom who is a fresh graduate of Agricultural Science from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, was picked from the house alongside Favour.

“During their preliminary interviews, it was learnt that the syndicate rented another building used as drugs warehouse inside Richmond Estate, Lekki.

“By the time operatives located the house, it was discovered that other members of the syndicate had broken into the store and carted away bags of illicit substances.

“However, some illicit drugs paraphernalia including sealing machine, bloating machine and packaging bags were recovered from the warehouse.

“A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Edward Omatseye at his residence around Lekki area. Edward confessed during interview to be working for Igho and his wife, Danielle, who are identified as the overall heads of the criminal group.

“Investigation was able to establish that Favour and Shalom were recruited as sales girls in the illicit drug trade by Prophetess Faith Ugochi of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, using her church platform to recruit teenage girls brought to her for help, on behalf of the celebrity couple: Igho Ubiribo (aka Tiny) and Danielle Simba Allen (aka Dani), who are the owners of the business.

“Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) coordinates the illicit drug trade activities for them in Nigeria, with Nnochiri Chidinma Promise as representative of Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company responsible for the shipment of illicit consignments into the country.”