OCTOBER 18 COURT HEARING FOR NDLEA APPEAL AGAINST BABA SUWE

A Lagos Court of Appeal has fixed October 18, 2012 for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) appeal against an earlier judgement in favour of Yoruba actor Baba Suwe. 

 The NDLEA is appealing against the judgment of a Lagos High Court ordering it to pay N25m as damages to the actor for ‘illegally’ detaining him. The court, presided by Justice Yetunde Idowu on November 24, 2011, also ordered the agency to publicly apologise in two national newspapers. 

 The court saga was one of the most followed stories in Nigeria’s entertainment industry in 2011. On March 2, 2012, the judge granted a partial stay of execution of the judgment, by ordering the NDLEA to pay the money to the Chief Registrar of the court, who would in turn pay it into an interest-yielding account. 

 The actor, best known for playing funny characters in Yoruba movies, was arrested by operatives of the NDLEA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on October 12, 2011. 

 His detention by the NDLEA, based on its suspicion that he was in possession of hard drugs, lasted over three weeks and became an international matter, attracting the interest of foreign news organizations such as the BBC and Yahoo News.

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THEY WANT TO KILL ME OVER THE MONEY I AM YET TO SMELL--BABA SUWE

I am fed up o,egba mi.People have not allowed me to have rest of mind since they heard of money.They want to kill me because of the money I have not seen.

For now,I think it’s gone beyond joke.I beg them,they should just leave me alone,they should not expose me to danger,they shouldn’t allow armed robbers to burgle my house.

I am just begging them,they should just leave me alone.I have not collected any money.I still remain my humble and quiet self, I don’t want any problem

There is no way you will collect that kind of money without the public knowing about it, it’s no longer a hidden thing.

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STAR ACTOR BABA SUWE BECOMES TOO BIG + FINDS NEW LOVE

Veteran Yoruba actor,Babatunde Omidina,otherwise known as Baba Suwe since after his ordeal with the Nigerian Drugs Law Enforcement Agency,(NDLEA) we gathered has become so big that he doesn’t accept any movie roles nor MC jobs.

The actor who has just been exonerated by the court of law and awarded the sum of N25 million,source revealed has been rejecting all offers coming to him now.

With the reason that he is not ready to do any thing at the moment.Who knows,maybe he needs rest or that he is already living on money he is about getting.

In a related news,we gathered that the comic act is in a fresh romance with actress Sherifat Ilerika.

According to source,they kick started the ir relationship prior to the death of Omdina's late wife, Monsurat ( more popular with the stage name Moladun)

Insiders revealed before his arrest, Sherifat was a regular caller at Omidina's office- where he maintained a room.

They were several spotted at SP Hotel, Ebutte Metta- where the popular actor usually lodged.

On November 04 2011, when Baba Suwe was granted bail- Sherifat was with him all through the day and left the court with him.

Sources claim she cares for him like a 'dutiful wife' ever since.

Insiders claimed Sherifat is married- but her marriage is troubled and considered in some quarters 'over'.

We shall keep you posted as events unfold.

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Baba Suwe plans multi-billion Naira suit against NDLEA

Nollywood actor, Mr. Babatunde Omidina, popularly called Baba Suwe, said on Sunday that he would file another suit worth billions of naira against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for allegedly dehumanising him while in the agency’s custody.

His lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, said at a press conference in Lagos that Baba Suwe would file the fresh suit after November 24, when judgment would be delivered in the N100m Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement suit he had earlier filed against the NDLEA.

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"I Have Excreted 15 Times and Nothing Was Found"

Contrary to what the NDLEA has made Nigerians to believe since the arrest and prolonged detention of Baba Suwe on suspicion of ingesting substances suspected to be Cocaine, the comic actor on Tuesday, November 1, 2011, got an opportunity through the court to tell his own side of the story.

During the trial in Lagos, a question and answer session took place inside the court room between Babatunde Omidina (aka Baba Suwe) and the judge, Justice Yetunde Idowu. Continue to read what Baba Suwe told the judge about his ordeal in the custody of the NDLEA...
Court: Baba Suwe how are you?
Baba Suwe: I am fine.

Court: Are they maltreating you?

Baba Suwe: No.

Court: Do you eat?

Baba Suwe: Yes, I do eat but with my money. They do bring my food by 11 am and when I am hungry, I use my money to buy food and I have excreted 15 times but nothing was found.

You may wish to know that Baba Suwe has already instructed his lawyer to sue to NDLEA for damages of N100,000 million and a public apology in Nigerian newspapers... Two days to go, more coming.

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Court orders NDLEA to produce Baba Suwe

An Ikeja High Court has ordered National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to produce embattled comedian Mr. Babatunde Omidina, commonly called Baba Suwe in court by the next adjourned date, Monday.

Trial judge, Justice Yetunde Idowu, in her ruling on an application by Omidina, made the order.

Counsel to Suwe, Bamidele Aturu, urged the court to direct the anti-drug agency to release Suwe from their custody, or alternatively, produce him in court at the next adjourned date.

NDLEA did not object to the application, which was granted by the court.

It will be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, had granted NDLEA, 15 more days to keep Suwe base on a new discovery, it claimed it made, as there was more drug in Suwe’s body.

NDLEA arrested Suwe while he was about boarding a plane to Paris at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, when a scanning device indicated that he had ingested substances suspected to be hard drugs and had since then been in custody.

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"Baba Suwe Is Using High Level Black Magic On Us"

CONTROVERSY continues to trail the arrest of popular home video actor cum comedian, Babatunde Nurudeen Omidina, popularly called Baba Suwe. 

Though, the anti-drug scanning machine at the airport which screened Baba Suwe detected some drugs hidden in his stomach leading to his arrest and eventual detention by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The popular comedian has excreted three times but no traces of hard drugs were found in his excreta on the three occasions. 

This led to outcries from members of the public especially Baba Suwe’s colleagues in the Yoruba genre of Nollywood calling for the release of the comedian. His lawyers have even slammed a N100 million suit on the anti-drug agency. However, the controversy deepens last Friday when a Lagos High Court gave the NDLEA authority to hold on to the comedian for 15 more days. 

This was sequel to the new discovery by a CT scan conducted on the actor which revealed that indeed there are drugs logged his body. The raging controversy has been whether it is true that the actor has some drugs in his body. Many are of the belief that if indeed Baba Suwe has drugs in his body, he could have health problems since he was arrested. 

“If indeed he has hard drugs in his body, he should have died since,” Sade Oloriebi, an actress stated. But the NDLEA would not have none of this. According to the anti-drug agency, Baba Suwe’s case is not isolated as there have been similar cases in the past. “In fact we have had cases where the accused raised curses on us after excreting three times but no drugs were discovered on them. 

However, after CT scans were carried out on them and drugs were discovered, they ate humble pie,” an official of NDLEA said. Another controversy introduced into the matter now was the issue of juju popularly called Africa Magic. “There was no doubt about it. He was carrying drugs but we know he is powerful spiritually. The drugs may have disappeared through juju. 

The machine actually detected drugs in his system,” an official of NDLEA at the Airport disclosed. Another NDLEA official corroborated his colleague’s claim. “Our machine detected it at the Airport, people said we are telling lies that we are just witch hunting him now that the CT scan conducted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has confirmed drugs in his body again what will people say? 

The fact remains that this man is using high level juju on us,” he said. For those who are bringing in the juju angle, they pointed to the actor’s different postures as the drama unfolds. When he was first arrested, it was discovered that Baba Suwe was a little bit jittery.

But as event unfolds, he started regaining his confidence leading to the show of support by his colleagues. He was even reported to have boasted to close friend and colleague, Jide Kosoko that even if he was asked to excrete one thousand times, they would not find anything on him.

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"Baba Suwe Was Never Arrested Because Of Drugs"

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, may have started singing a new song on why they have detained ace comedian, Baba Suwe, for nine days now, according to an online report published early today. 

The report quoted Mitchell Ofoyeju, NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, as saying that the drug suspicion was concocted by the media and not the agency. “We have never told anybody that he carried drugs in his body.

Baba Suwe is under observation just like it has been the case with every other suspected Nigerian passengers, the law is no respecter of anybody, we don’t want to speculate about anything and we will make a comprehensive press conference on the case after we conclude our investigation.

“We are still investigating the case; we’ll address the press as soon as we conclude our investigation on the matter. We are not going to say anything until we conclude our investigations. 

Like I said before, we have never said Baba Suwe was arrested for drug, it is the media that are writing this, we never said he was arrested for drug,” Ofoyeju told Naijapals When NEWSMEN contacted him today on this volte face by the NDLEA, Ofoyeju said:

“We reasonably suspect him and we are investigating him. But he is innocent.” Ofoyeju had issued many press statements in which he said that Baba Suwe was being held on drug suspicion.

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Artistes call for Baba Suwe’s release •As family gives NDLEA 7-day ultimatum

MEMBERS of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), led by their former president, Prince Jide Kosoko, have called for the immediate release of the ace comedian, Babatunde Omidina, a.k.a. Baba Suwe, who is currently being held by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). 

He said Baba Suwe had been made to go through public humiliation, adding that what had been done to him was unjust punishment for an innocent man. 

Present at the conference were Gbenga Adewusi, a.k.a. Bayowa; Monsuru Oba-dina, Bukky Wright, Afusat Balogun a.k.a. Madam Saje, Sokoti, Kola Olaiya, Alabi Yellow and others. Also, the president-elect of the association, Mr Dele Odule, has decried the attitude of NDLEA on Baba Suwe, describing it as a violation of his fundamental human rights.

Meanwhile, the family of the ace comedian has hired the services of a Lagos lawyer, Mr Bamidele Aturu, over his continued detention in NDLEA custody. The lawyer had also written a letter to the Director-General of the agency, Mr Femi Ajayi, demanding his unconditional release. 

The family gave the NDLEA a seven-day ultimatum to tender apology in three national dailies circulating all over Nigeria, while also demanding that Baba Suwe be paid N1 billion as compensation for the damage that the arrest and detention had done to his person and reputation while in the custody.

In another development, two suspected drug traffickers have been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. NDLEA Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, gave the names of the suspects as Ezeanochie Oliver Ndodi, 32, enroute Emirate flight to Malaysia and Amoo Tolase Duro-woju, 27, who was to board Air France to Dublin on October 12. According to the NDLEA spokesman, Mitchelle Ofo-yeju, both suspects would be charged to court soon.

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PICTURE OF BABASUWE IN NDLEA TOILET

Baba suwe doing his thing in the NDLEA toilet

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NDLEA cautions lawyers, activists, relatives over Baba Suwe

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has called on lawyers and human rights activists, who have been agitating for the release of ace actor and popular Yoruba comedian Omidina Babatunde alias Baba Suwe.

NDLEA told the laryer to stop distracting the agency’s efforts and allow it conduct proper investigation into the case. Baba Suwe was arrested last Wednesday over allegation of ingesting cocaine. 

Spokesman of the agency, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said: “Baba Suwe is not a different person and people who don’t know the way we carry out our investigations are complaining. It is also against our practice to make public the findings of our investigation, while it is still on.

“What he is going through now is the normal process of drug investigations and interference from lawyers, human rights activists and members of his family is stalling the entire process. “We urge them to exercise patience and allow us conduct our investigation properly. 

I also want to state that Baba Suwe’s case became highly celebrated because people saw him at the airport when he was asked to go through the scanner and then they started celebrating his arrest. “Sincerely, people don’t know the way we work, and it is improper for NDLEA to start telling members of the public that our suspects have excreted the first, second and third time.” 

“These are not what members of the public should know. They are purely products of investigations and not for the public. Members of the public should exercise patience and wait for the outcome of the investigation. On the other hand nobody in the NDLEA has a grouse with Babab Suwe. In fact none of our agents at the airport recognised him because he normally painted his faces in the movie.”

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BABA SUWE TO SUE NDLEA FOR N1BILLION DAMAGES

Report has it that Baba Suwe who is still in NDLEA custody since Wednesday October 12,2011 for alleged drug trafficking is yet to excrete the alleged drug after scanning machine had proved he has substance concealed in his stomach. 

He was reportedly on his way to France- in the night- when the Anti- drug agency's scanner indicated that he was smuggling drug. He was promptly arrested and thrown into detention. The comic act has excreted three times since his detention but no drug has so far been found on him. 

We learnt the scanning machine employed by the NDLEA, is called Soter RS, which was donated by the United States government to the agency in June 2008. The machine is believed to be one of the most sophisticated x-ray body scanning machines available for drug detection. 

The SOTER RS Security Body Scanner can undertake a whole body, clothing or body search, detecting everything hidden in or outside the human body within just 10 seconds. For seven days now, since the popular comedian was arrested and detained by NDLEA operatives, Nigerians have been waiting to know the outcome of the drug saga. 

The arrest of Baba Suwe is generating a lot of interest in the Nigerian media and social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter. His lawyer, Mohammed Bashir on Wednesday said that a fundamental rights enforcement suit would be filed on his behalf within the next five days and they planning a N1 billion suit against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over his arrest and detention. 

Bashir talking to NAN reporter, said: “We will be filing the suit before a Federal High Court in Lagos between now and Monday. “We will be asking for N1 billion as compensation for damages suffered by him due to his illegal arrest and detention, as well as the embarrassment and defamation done to his reputation as a result of the incident,” he said. 

The lawyer further told NAN that NDLEA officials had prevented him from meeting physically with Baba Suwe since his arrest, almost a week ago. “I have visited the place twice since he was detained but was turned back and prevented from seeing my client. This denial of access to my client is another violation of his fundamental human rights,” Bashir added

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Baba Suwe’s Alleged Involvement In The Death Of Moladun His Wife

Though it is no more news that popular Yoruba comic act, Babatunde Omidina, who is popularly known as Baba Suwe was reportedly arrested last week by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

for alleged drug trafficking, but we can reveal to you the emerging facts on how his journey into the white dust business started, the new twist turn of events and his alleged involvement in the death of his wife, Moladun.

Monsurat Omidina, wife of Baba Suwe, who is well known as Moladun by fans and colleagues in the industry, had died mysteriously three years ago. 

We learnt that Moladun was aware of his involvement into his new found block busting money bringing white powder business before she died under questionable circumstances.

The reported arrest of Baba Suwe last week Wednesday happened exactly three years and three days after the mysterious death of Moladun.

According to a very close family source who confided in us said the journey of the veteran actor into the dust selling profession started some years back. 

The bulky actor had traveled abroad for a function, upon his arrival; he was approached by some big wigs in the illicit business to join the club. 

When Moladun got to know about his consent to try the new rich trade, she threatened to relocate abroad. 

This development, we were told by the family source, who over heard it, did not go down well with the this 53 year old actor as he thereafter started maltreating her and at one instance, he was reported to have beaten her up to a state of coma.

The family source said that, “Baba Suwe had a hand in the death of Moladun, he had to kill her for him to be free of threats from his wife, and continue with his new found love unhindered. 

The case (Moladun’s death) had been reportedly cooled down and swept under the carpet by some drug barons backing him.” It is not the first time Baba Suwe has been arrested for drug trafficking. 

This would be the third time he would be linked to drug trafficking arrest, but it has been reportedly swept under the rug just as this last one. On October 12, Baba Suwe was reportedly arrested by operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala International Airport, Lagos.

He was stopped by the operatives when scanning machines revealed substances in his stomach, which he initially denied. When further scan confirmed the swallowed white substance, he was reported to have broken down in tears. It was reported that he was about to board an Air France flight AF 3051 to Paris, to attend a naming ceremony of a staffer of Air France.

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COMIC ACT,BABA SUWE TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST NDLEA FOR DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER

According to NDLEA Director-General, Femi Ajayi,Babatunde Omidina, aka Baba Suwe would undergo Computerised Tomography Scan (CT Scan). 

and if the scan result shows that the actor has no drug concealed in his stomach, then he will be released. He claimed the comic Actor will be released if after third excretion, no drug is found. 

This is in line with the NDLEA standard operational rule, that says suspect should be released after third excretion. Ajayi further said Baba Suwe will only get an apology from NDLEA as he should take this as a sacrifice in the war against drugs. He ruled out the possibility of the actor taking legal action. Ajayi said: 

“As far as we are concerned Baba Suwe is innocent, at least for now, it is just normal that when there is reasonable suspicion, we take people in for observation. We learnt that Baba Suwe would likely file a lawsuit against NDLEA for defamation of character.

Further findings revealed that Nigerian actors under the umbrella of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners are currently putting arrangements in place to stage a mass protest over the continuing detention of the actor. On Sunday, October 16 2011, the ANTP leadership circulated a message among it members reproduced below.

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Why we’re still holding Baba Suwe

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday, explained why it is still holding on to popular actor and comedian, Mr. Babatunde Omidina, alias Baba Suwe, who was arrested last Wednesday night for alleged drug trafficking. 

The comedian was alleged to have ingested wraps of cocaine in his system which the scanner employed by the anti-drug agency was said to have picked up but the suspect has emptied his bowels twice without any trace of the drug.

Spokesman of the agency, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, however, insisted that Omidina would not have been picked up if the scanner had not revealed that he had the drug in his system. He said: “Baba Suwe is still in our custody and under observation. 

Since he was arrested Wednesday, he has excreted twice. First, he excreted on Friday and we did not find any drug and on Saturday he excreted again, still we did not find any drug. ”But, it is normal because we would not have arrested him if the scanner did not show that he has something in his system. 

We have had people who stayed longer before they started excreting; so, we are still observing him. It is just that we are now doing our investigation on this particular suspect on the pages of newspapers.” After his arrest last Wednesday, Airport Commander of NDLEA, Alhaji Hamza Umar, was quoted as saying that, “Mr. Omidina Babatunde was in safe custody.

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Baba Suwe excretes again without any trace of drug

The popular Yoruba comic actor, Alhaji Omidina Babatunde otherwise known as Baba Suwe who is being held at the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday made his second excretion without any trace of drug found.

Yesterday excretion has made it the second Baba Suwe has excreted since his arrest by the anti-narcotic agency.

Sources in the NDLEA said even though no drug has been found in the excretion he passed out that the actor will still remain in the agency’s custody until they are convinced otherwise.

When asked what the agency will do should no drug be found on him, the source said the Yoruba actor will be left off the hook.

While saying Baba Suwe is still a suspect up till now, the NDLEA source lamented that the media should be blamed for blowing open the case while it was still under investigation.

According to the source, ordinarily, the anti-narcotic agency will never make open to the public any case under investigation until such has been proven.

There has been conflicting reports on the true position of things with the ace actor with a section of the media reporting on Saturday that Baba Suwe made the first excretion on Friday while others said he was yet to.

When asked when the actor will likely be released, the NDLEA source said there was no time yet as he will still continue to remain in the custody of the agency.

The ace actor was to board an Air France flight to Paris at about 10pm on Wednesday October 12, 2011 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos when he was arrested on the suspicion that he carried drug.

Source:tribune

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NDLEA CLEARS BABA SUWE OF DRUG MESS

News filtering in from the quarters of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency that, after taking Baba Suwe to their personal clinic, nothing was found on him. 

The said cocaine palaver, which has graced most newspapers headlines in Nigeria and a lot of online news service providers for a few days now, is said to be an extraction from a movie script written by the comic act.

Well, the appropriate authority has not really issued any statement so far to deny or affirm the allegation leveled on the alleged drug peddler, Babatunde Omidina a.k.a Baba Suwe, however, the story continues

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Nollywood Stars Condemn Baba Suwe’s Shameful Act, News Goes International

The news of the arrest of Nollywood actor, Babatunde Omidina aka Baba Suwe is generating a lot bad comment from fellow actors and actresses who described his action as shameful and unbecoming of someone of his status. 

Immediately the news broke out, popular Nollywood stars were contacted for comments about the report and none of them seems happy about it. Here is their comments:

 BabaJide Kosoko:

“Are you sure it is true? If it is, it is madness. It is madness I repeat. I can hardly believe the story. What else does he want in life? This is madness, complete madness I say.”

Sunday Omobolanle aka Pappy Luwe: 

“But I can’t believe that what I am hearing is true. A friend who is in London spoke with me on phone and said that he saw the story in the on-line”

Tunji Bamishigbin:

“If it is true that Baba Suwe is involved in drug peddling, then he does not deserve the position and respect the Nigerian society has accorded him.It is also a big shame and it is very disappointing because the society sees us as the mirror through which they watch themselves and if we are found where we are not supposed to be, it is very shameful.”

Remi Oshodi: 

“Whoever is not satisfied with whatever he or she has will end up where he is not supposed to be. We are the mirror through which the society mirrors itself and as parents we should live by example. It is a big disgrace to us all.”

Femi Brainard:

“This shameful act must be stopped because Wunmi was the first victim, and because she was pardoned does not mean that Baba Suwe will go scot free. What he has done is a slap on us and the entire movie industry. This time around he must be made to face the music.” 

Hon. Rotimi Makinde:

“It is a rude shock. “It’s indeed a disgrace to many of us and the industry I so cherish. I reserve further comments for now until I get details.”

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Update On Baba Suwe's Cocaine Saga

News reaching us that the legal luminary to the detained Nollywood actor and drug peddler, Babatunde Omidina is said to have confessed to the agents of NDLEA that his client mistakenly swallowed the substance. 

Well, I think the NBA too should mistakenly revolt the lawyer's license. Our source alleged that Baba Suwe has promised to corporate and help the anti-drug agency in their investigation to nab those behind the illicit deal that led to his arrest. 

Information emanating from another source says there is a secret move by a powerful politician in Lagos to get Baba Suwe out of the disgrace he brought upon himself. We are waiting and as soon as there are more updates, we'll keep you posted.

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Baba Suwe Excretes 16 Pellets Of Cocaine

The arrest of Nollywood comic actor, Babatunde Omidina over hard drug is the latest gist in town at the moment. The widower who was arrested on his way to Paris a fortnight ago, we scooped, has excreted over 16 pellets of cocaine last night.

A source in the anti-drug agency said that the controversial drug peddler cum Yoruba actor has already excreted some of the drugs he ingested while a large quantity is still lodged in his abdomen. 

Another reliable source said the suspect has been given a cup of tea to drink that will enable him excrete the remaining drugs while he has been placed on observation. If you recall, this same offence was committed by Baba Suwe about two years now but he had his way out of the situation and called it 'mere rumour' but it's so obvious now that what he tagged as rumour then is now a reality. 

Baba Suwe, we learnt, has been crying like a baby and pleading for forgiveness but all his pleas are to no avail. While serious investigation is going on to know how he came about it, some top marketers are alleged to be busy inducing officials of NDLEA with huge bribe to get him out of the dragnet. We gathered.

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