Nigerian arrested in Umoja, Nairobi, a ‘big player in drugs trade’
A plane overflies the Nairobi Expressway toll station at the entrance to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in late July last year during the commissioning of the 27-kilometre thoroughfare.
A Nigerian who was arrested last week at Umoja Innercore with two kilos of cocaine worth Sh12 million is a major supplier of narcotics in Nairobi, police said yesterday.
Mr Michael Adedeji Adeyemi and his Kenyan girlfriend Selina Ndinda Ndonyo were arrested by anti-narcotics detectives in an operation that was prompted by international signals.
According to the police, the drugs had been disguised in African artefacts to avoid detection in transit.
At the time of their arrest, the couple were in the process of unpacking some of the compressed narcotics, possibly to be repackaged in smaller quantities for the local market.
Denied bail
The suspects were brought before the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Magistrate’s Court yesterday and charged with drug trafficking.
They were both denied bail after prosecutors asked for 10 more days to complete investigations.
Police said Mr Adeyemi operated from Kampala and entered the country through Busia border on August 27, 2023. Police said Mr Adeyemi was among Nigerians who were involved in drug trafficking while running churches in Kampala. On the other hand, Ms Ndoyo is believed to be part of a drug distribution network in Athi River and Umoja with a constant supply from Kampala.
Police also revealed that the couple are allied to one Nancy Wamunyota, a Kenyan drug trafficker who was recently arrested in Kitengela while in possession of cocaine. Police believe Adeyemi is a member of a global Nigerian drug trafficking organisation (DTO) that sources cocaine from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
They said the shipment is sent through various courier services including Fedex and Union Postal Services via Mahe Island, Seychelles, South Africa, Zimbabwe to Bujumbura in Burundi.
Some of the Nigerians have recruited desperate Kenyans to help them in their business, police have revealed. The latest bust comes days after five suspects were arrested with Sh22 million worth of cocaine in Kitengela on Tuesday last week.
The drugs were found in empty juice packets. A Kenyan woman and four Tanzanian nationals, three men and a woman, all had Kenyan identity documents that police believe were fraudulently obtained. The Kenyan was arrested at her home, while the Tanzanians were seized at an Airbnb while packaging cocaine.
