The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has kept mum over the reported arrest of businessman and socialite, Obi Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana.
The businessman was reportedly grilled by operatives of the agency on Thursday over four hours over alleged drug ties before he was granted bail and asked to return at a future date.
It was reportedly alleged that suspicious payments were made into Cubana’s account by three convicted drug dealers from Malaysia, Nigeria and India.
The agency did not throw light on the matter.
When contacted on the development, spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said he had no comments.
In November 2021, the socialite was also arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and detained for three days over allegations of money laundering among others. He was reportedly released with a condition that he would continue to report back for questioning but there has been no further development on the matter since then.
The development has also drawn various views from Nigerians on social media.
A Twitter user @quadex922 said “Leave Obi Cubana alone. He worked hard for his money.” Another @Bashtahir also said “So some one cannot make money in peace in this country without being interrogated by the law enforcement. They will never ask you the reason why you are being poor except why you are rich.”
However, another person @DanbabaNaija said, “Everywhere in the world government agencies ask questions about people’s source of income, it’s only in Nigeria that a 16- year- old will turn a billionaire overnight without doing anything.”
Yet some people linked it to political reasons. For instance @_OgaRotewent said, “I guess he’s being intimidated so that he can support someone’s political ambition. It’s election period, isn’t it?”
Obi Cubana, who has been in the nightclub business over the years came to public attention last July when he organized a lavish funeral for his mother, Ezinne Iyiegbu, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The event attracted several entertainers and renowned politicians from across the country including embattled senior police officer, DCP Abba Kyari, and was talked about for weeks due to the level of ostentation that was displayed there.
The development brought him to the spotlight and he was variously in the news for one reason or the other especially following more frequent display of his flamboyant lifestyle on social media.
Obi Cubana, who had before now kept a low profile, has now been invited twice within three months since gaining prominence.
He is often confused with another businessman and socialite, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest and the more boisterous and visible of the two