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Ahmed Tinubu, ran a heroin ring in the country; was convicted, though with an option of fine; and was actually quizzed last month while entering into the country.

Documents available to the Nigerian Compass showed that the United States Government has written the Nigerian Government, highlighting the fact that Tinubu ran a cocaine ring in the country.

According to the document, signed by the United States Government Narcotics Attache in its embassy in Nigeria, Andre W. Kellum, Tinubu operated an organisation that distributed cocaine.

Kellum said that though Tinubu was not subjected to criminal prosecution, the fact that he acceded to forfeiting funds to the United States Government was on its own a conviction.

Kellum’s letter was a response to a petition pertaining to Tinubu’s suitability to stand for re-election in 2003 as the governor of Lagos State.

The petitioner said that Tinubu, owing to his conviction in the United States for running a drug cartel, was not suitable to stand for election in Nigeria.

In the letter dated April 9, 2003, addressed to the former Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji, Kellum wrote, “After consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of International Affairs (OIA), this is in response to the above referenced matter, regarding Bola Ahmed TINUBU (emphasis that of Kellum).

“Pursuant to the aforementioned request, the Lagos, Nigeria Country Office (LNCO) of the Drug Enforcement Administration immediately contacted DOJ/OIA officials. Copies of documents received by the LNCO from the NDLEA were forwarded to these officials for verification.

“As such, please note that paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of the complaint indicates that persons named therein operated an organisation that distributed heroin and the proceeds of that illegal distribution were in the subject acounts to be forfeited. The complaint references U.S. (criminal) money laundering and (criminal) drug statutes as the authority under which the forfeiture occurs. Nevertheless, note that the complaint in this civil action identifies the funds as the defendant (Tinubu), not the account holders.

“Likewise, the Decree of Forfeiture, signed by a U.S. District Judge, identifies the criminal statutory authority for the civil forfeiture of the funds without regard to whether there is a corresponding criminal prosecution.

“The facts revealed in the U.S. Investigation of the funds and their source are detailed in the affidavit filed by the Internal Revenue Service.

In the letter from the NDLEA that resulted in Kellum’s reaction, the lead anti-narcotic agency in Nigeria said that the conclusion it could draw was that Tinubu’s drug case was yet to be closed by the United States.

The letter, in its opinion section, noted, “Former paragraph 6 above, Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu was involved in Money Laundering Transactions along with Mueez Adegboya Akande and Abiodun Agbele in the United States of America.

“Even though he was not charged to court, he had to compromise the case. Otherwise, he would have lost the whole money.

“Arising from the case, Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu forfeited 460,000 US dollars to the United States Government being proceeds of narcotic trafficking or property involved in financial transactions in violation of 18 USO 1956 and 1957 and therefore was forfeitable to the United States (emphasis that of the NDLEA).

“It is pertinent to note that the funds held by Citi bank which was released to Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the action filed against these funds held in the said accounts was dismissed with prejudice. This in effect means the case has not been closed (emphasis that of NDLEA) an

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