Oluwadamilola Aderinoye, a former Nigerian beauty queen wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has surrendered to the agency.
Ms Aderinoye, affectionately known as the Christmas Queen, turned herself in eight months after the NDLEA declared her wanted.
Femi Babafemi, spokesman for the agency, announced Aderimoye's handover in a press statement issued on Sunday morning.
Mr. Babafemi said he went into hiding in January 2024 when NDLEA operatives raided his house in Oral Estate, Lekki, Lagos State, after obtaining credible information that he was into drug abuse.
He said an earlier search of his home led to the recovery of some items including 606 grams of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, an electronic scale, large quantities of drugs wrapped in plastic and a black RAV 4 SUV marked Lagos KSF 872 GQ that were recovered from his apartment.
“The agency declared her wanted in January after she escaped from her residence in Lekki, Lagos, when NDLEA operatives raided her apartment in Oral Estate, Lekki, on Wednesday, January 24, following credible information that she was trafficking in illicit substances.
“The suspect, who claimed she had been hiding in Akure, Ondo State, since January when she escaped arrest in Lekki, Lagos, however, surrendered to the agency on Wednesday, August 28,” the statement read in parts.
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Statement
In January 2024, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the NDLEA declared Ms. Aderinoye, who is also Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture 2015/2016, wanted for alleged illicit drug trafficking.
She is the founder of the Queen Christmas Foundation, a non-governmental organization.
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While destroying over 30 tons of drugs and illicit substances with an estimated street value of N2.58 billion last year in Abuja, NDLEA Executive Director Buba Marwa said 14.3 million Nigerians abuse drugs.