In a stunning turn of events, a lot of doubts are cast upon the transparency and independence of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), after the anti-Drugs Agency’s seemingly reluctance to investigate or prosecute the BUA Group of Companies in connection with the importation of 43.1 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria via a sugar-laden vessel.
Following the recent discharge and acquitted by a Lagos High Court of the clearing and forwarding company, Oilways Logistics and Energy Ltd and its Managing Director, Franklyn Pereowei Godwin, which were initially arrested and accused of involvement in the drugs found in a vessel carrying BUA`s sugar, Truth Live News investigation revealed that the development has further raised questions about who then actually imported the hard drug into Nigeria and why BUA, who originally chartered the vessel and owned the products are not being investigated, especially now that the BUA Group Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, donated a whooping sum of 500 million Naira to the NDLEA, in the name of fighting drugs-related crimes.
These circumstances have ignited speculation about the possible reasons behind the NDLEA’s reluctance to pursue a prosecution against the prominent conglomerate who are the original importer of the vessel carrying drugs.
The saga began in February 2021, with the interception of a sugar-laden vessel carrying a staggering 43.1 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil, a haul that shocked law enforcement agencies and the public alike.
Our investigation since 2021 took our correspondent in London to visit the vessel handlers in the UK to ascertain the level of involvement of the Nigerian firms, where we discovered that the vessel’s connection to the BUA Group of Companies, a conglomerate with interests spanning various sectors, including cement, sugar, and real estate, raised eyebrows and immediately led to speculation about the possible complicity of the company in the drug trafficking operation. This, the NDLEA has refused to investigate.
However, further investigation revealed a complex network of players, eventually resulting in the accusation of the clearing company, Oilways Logistics and Energy Ltd and its Managing Director. In a twist of fate, a Federal High Court discharged Oilways Logistics and Energy Ltd and its Managing Director, Franklyn Pereowei Godwin, from the drug trafficking charges.
The court cited a lack of substantial evidence connecting the accused parties to the crime, leading to their acquittal. This decision left law enforcement agencies in a quandary and raised questions about the thoroughness of the investigation that led to the initial arrests. Not long ago, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the Chairman of the BUA Group, made headlines by donating a significant sum of 500 million Naira to the NDLEA.
While the gesture was ostensibly intended to support the agency’s fight against drug trafficking, critics have pointed to the timing of the donation as suspicious, considering the ongoing investigation into the BUA Group’s possible involvement in the cocaine importation.
The donation has fueled speculation, with many questioning whether it might influence the NDLEA’s stance on pursuing a case against the conglomerate, as all eyes are now on BUA, since the High Court has found Oilways that was meant to take the fall not guilty.
As the controversy surrounding the NDLEA’s refusal to prosecute the BUA Group of Companies deepens, the questions raised by the discharge of Oilways Logistics and Energy Ltd, coupled with the sizable donation by BUA Group’s Chairman to the NDLEA, demand a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter.
The outcome of this investigation will determine whether justice was served and whether any undue influence has played a role in shaping the agency’s decisions.
Who owns the cocaine in a BUA Group of Companies chartered vessel supposedly for sugar importation?
The Investigation continues…