It’s cruel to say we run a drug cartel, SAHCo tells NDLEA

• Denies N13 billion drugs seized from warehouse

Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCo) said it amounts to cruelty for the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to insinuate that the firm runs a drug cartel following a statement by the anti-narcotics agency that it busted a drug syndicate using the Skyway Aviation SAHCo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos to peddle drugs.

The NDLEA, it would be recalled said on Sunday that it arrested six members of a syndicate using their official cover to facilitate the smuggling of illicit drugs through the Skyway Aviation Handling Company warehouse at the Lagos airport into the country have been arrested.

It stated that 1,210,000 pills of tramadol were also seized from them in an operation that lasted weeks.

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi said 14,481,519 pills of Tramadol and bottles of codeine syrup worth over N13 billion in street value were recovered.

Babafemi identified the six suspects as Oladele Sanya-Olu; Lawal Itunu Temitope; Sanamo Daniel; Udeh Monday; Musa Mutalib and Unege Icibor, saying that they were arrested in relation to the illegal drug trade through SAHCO.

He said they were in NDLEA custody and that three other suspects – Sarki Salami; Abdullahi Aliyu (aka Aboki); and Monday Anwal, were on the run.

However, sources at the NDLEA said one of the people involved identified as Jide is the cargo manager for SAHCO. But his name was left out in the statement.

According to the sources, Jide’s personal vehicle – a Mercedes Benz car – was used to carry the drugs.

“He took it to the SAHCO Courier shed.

“A gate to the tarmac locked by customs and SAHCO was used and they didn’t break the lock, which means that they had access. This place is the airside

SAHCO left theirs open and customs also claimed they forgot to lock theirs. They allowed them to go,” one of the sources said.

The sources expressed disappointment that other major agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and NDLEA do not have access to lock the gate.

But SAHCO in a statement by the Head, of Corporate Communications for SAHCO Plc, Mrs. Vanessa Uansioha described the report as false and a figment of the imagination of the writer.

She said, “Although, we serve as a gateway to Imports and Exports in Nigeria and we are proud to provide such world-class facility in Nigeria, however, our role does not include verification, checking the content of cargo as alleged in this report. It is therefore fiendish and cruel to insinuate we run a drug cartel.

She also cleared the air, stressing that government agencies like NDLEA, Directorate of State Security (DSS), Quarantine, and Nigeria Air Force have unfettered access to SAHCO Plc warehouses where they carry out their duties without their interference.

“It is therefore important to note that this is not the first time suspects will be arrested within our facilities and we always cooperate with the agencies while they carry out their investigation without shielding anyone involved be it our staff, contractor, or business partner.

“It is therefore important to note that this is not the first time suspects will be arrested within our facilities and we always cooperate with the agencies while they carry out their investigation without shielding anyone involved be it our staff, contractor, or business partner.

“As a responsible company, we make available the latest technology to assist Government agencies to fight any form of crime within our facilities and we will not relent in doing that.”

Wole Shadare