By Funmilayo Olusanya

In this second part, Biztellers takes a look at Nollywood celebrities who have been mired in drug and fraud allegations over the years.

In the first part, Biztellers looked at some prominent musicians who have been mired in rumors of drug peddling and fraud.

BABA SUWE

Another notable personality, Nollywood comic actor, Babatunde Omidina better known as Baba Suwe was arrested in 2011, at the Murtala Mohammad International Airport in Lagos. He was taken into custody by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), after the airport’s scanning engine revealed traces of ingested wraps of cocaine in his belly.

The accusation lead to a three-week spectacle in which Nigerian officials, and the entire country, kept tabs on the detained Baba Suwe’s bowel movements — looking out for discharged bags of cocaine. The bags never came.

The accusations against Suwe were serious, and the potential consequences dire. If convicted, he could have faced a lengthy prison sentence, and his reputation as a beloved actor and comedian could have been permanently tarnished.

The case garnered significant attention from the media and the public, with many people expressing their support for Baba Suwe and demanding that he be treated fairly.

Despite the intense scrutiny, however, no evidence of drug use was ever found. The bags of cocaine that the authorities claimed Baba Suwe had swallowed never materialized, and the actor himself maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal. In the end, he was released without charge, after three weeks in detention but the damage had already been done.

Upon his release, the actor charged NDLEA to court, for unlawful detention and public humiliation among others. The presiding Judge, who heard the case, ruled that the actor be paid the sum of 25 million Naira in damages, and also tender a public apology to repair the reputational damage done to the actor.

However, till date, NDLEA is yet to obey the court judgment and pay the actor the 25 million Naira sum. They’ve continuously appealed the case.

The actor, who battled chronic diabetes attributed his predicament to the fate he suffered during his illegal detention in 2011, amid these battle, Baba Suwe gave up the ghost on the 22nd of November 2021.

UCHE ODOPUTA

Uche Odoputa is another top Nigerian entertainer with a history of drug-related crime. In fact, unlike Baba Suwe’s case, Odoputa was actually convicted of cocaine trafficking.

The popular actor was arrested by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. He was taken into custody while he was about boarding a flight to the UK. In his possession was 1.34kg of cocaine, which led to his arrest.

Odoputa was charged to court and was subsequently sentenced to prison on a 2-year term. In his words, “greed and desperation forced his hands and pushed him into drug trafficking”.

While the actor was a relatively prominent upcoming actor prior to his conviction, he hasn’t been able to forge his way up the ladder. According to the actor, most of his former colleagues severed ties with him after his incarceration, with the exception of Mr. Ibu, Amaka Igwe and a few others.

AKINWANDE HASSANAT

The most popular drug trafficking story concerning a Nigerian entertainer is probably the conviction of popular Yoruba actress Hassanat Akinwande, who is fondly called Yetunde Wunmi by her admirers.

The veteran Yoruba actress was taken into custody at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport by men of the NDLEA. She was caught by the airport’s electronic scanner, which revealed traces of foreign objects in her stomach. This drew the attention of the drug enforcement officers at the scene, and the actress was subsequently taken into custody, where she eventually excreted ingested cocaine wraps, numbering in excess of 90.

Consequent to this, the actress was charged to court and was eventually sentenced to 2-year imprisonment, with an option of a 1 million Naira fine. The lenient penalty was allegedly attributed to the “humane remorse” that the actress showed during her trial. As gathered, the actress reportedly bursted into tears as she was arraigned before the judge, who in turn, felt pity for her.

Yetunte Wunmi, as the actress is popularly called, somehow managed to get a light sentence for a rather serious crime. However, the incident left an indelible mark on her reputation, which she is yet to, and may never, recover from.

SUNDAY JOSHUA

On January 11, 2021, the NDLEA arrested a fast-growing skit maker, Sunday Joshua, known simply as ‘De General’, after a raid at his residence at Orchid Estate, Lekki area of Lagos State.

He was immediately charged to court on three counts of trafficking tramadol and cannabis Sativa and convicted of the charges by a federal high court in Lagos after pleading guilty to possessing substances found in his home.

However, the court said the volume of substance was too minimal for a sentence and cautioned him to “go and sin no more.”

Many continue to believe that the Nigerian entertainment industry is fueled mostly by ill gotten wealth and the arrest of Huspuppi, a socialite who has been seen with a lot of celebrities and was believed to be silently sponsoring a lot of musicians.