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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

NDLEA re-arrests drug suspect who faked his death

From The Punch · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has re-arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal, who allegedly faked his death to evade prosecution.
  • Lawal was initially arrested in February 2022 with significant quantities of psychotropic substances and later jumped bail.
  • His wife allegedly submitted a false death affidavit to the court, but NDLEA investigations revealed he was alive, leading to his re-arraignment.

Authorities in Nigeria have apprehended Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal, a suspected drug trafficker accused of faking his own death to escape legal proceedings. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported the re-arrest, stating that Lawal had jumped bail granted by the Federal High Court in Benin.

Our operatives, working on an intelligence report, uncovered the truth that Ibrahim Yusuf Lawal was very much alive. He was recently apprehended in a covert operation and taken into custody.

· Mitchell OfoyejuDescribing the NDLEA's successful operation to re-arrest the suspect.

Lawal was first arrested on February 5, 2022, in Edo State, found with 0.257kg of Lexotan, 1kg of Diazepam, and 5.4kg of Phenobarbital concealed in a vehicle. He faced a three-count charge for unlawfully transporting controlled substances. After pleading not guilty, he was granted bail but subsequently failed to appear for his trial.

He had earlier jumped bail and his wife fraudulently submitted an affidavit claiming he had died while they were living together at Iruvucheba, Okene, Kogi State.

· Mitchell OfoyejuDetailing the circumstances of the suspect's evasion and his wife's alleged involvement.

In an alleged attempt to obstruct justice, Lawal's wife, Ibrahim Nana Hawa, reportedly submitted an affidavit in October 2024 claiming her husband had died of tuberculosis on October 3, 2024, and was buried in Kogi State. However, NDLEA investigations uncovered that Lawal was alive. He was recently apprehended in a covert operation and re-arraigned before the Federal High Court in Benin on Tuesday. The case was adjourned for further hearing, with the NDLEA commander emphasizing that such deceptions will not shield offenders from the law.

The use of a false death affidavit to evade prosecution is a serious offence, and the command will not hesitate to sanction all parties involved, including the wife, for her role in this fraudulent scheme.

· Mitchell OfoyejuWarning against the use of deception to obstruct justice.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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