Ex-Emzor Worker Nabbed Over Sale Of Codeine To BBC Reporter

A former worker of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, Maduike Chukwnonye, has been arrested over an attempt to sell illicit substance suspected to be codeine to a BBC correspondent in Lagos.

Besides trying to sell the illicit substance to the reporter, the police said the suspect also sold the drugs to unauthorized persons since he was sacked in May 2018.

The police added that the suspect tried to flee the country when he realized that he was being wanted by the police.

It was gathered that the suspect was recently caught on camera while selling restricted drugs to a BBC undercover investigator, one Adejuwon Soyinka, a.k.a. Mr. Nohnson. CP Edgal Imohimi, who paraded the suspect before newsmen yesterday at the Command Headquarters, said the trail of the suspect started on May 1, after Emzor Pharmaceutical reported a case of unlawful distribution of controlled substances in breach of the drugs laws of Nigeria by Madubuike Chkwunonye.

Edgal said the company alleged that while in the employment of Emzor, the subject had access to limited quantities of Emzolyn with codeine for purpose of distribution to licensed retail pharmacies under his assigned territory.

He said that due to greed for money, the suspect knowingly supplied the controlled drugs to persons who are not supposed to have access to them contrary to the dictates of the laws of Nigeria.

He added that the suspect who had been on the run since May, was arrested by operatives of the command attached to Area ‘D’ Headquarters, Idi Iroko border town in Ogun State while trying to escape into Cotonou, Benin Republic.”In his statement, he averred that he was only trying to meet his sales target and that the BBC man was introduced to him by one Pascal as a genuine businessman without verifying the former’s identity as a pharmacist. He regretted selling the controlled substances to unauthorized persons.”