The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drug dealer

  • Convicted drug dealer forfeits N31m, vehicles to FG

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the forfeiture of N31.4million and two vehicles seized from a convicted drug dealer Chief Odugwe Azubuike to the Federal Government.

    Justice Mohammed Liman sentenced him to five- year imprisonment.

    The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) charged Azubuike with unlawful importation of 3.150 kilograms of cocaine.

    He was arraigned in 2010 with the prosecution calling two witnesses and tendering several exhibits.

    Midway into the trial, Azubuike fled.

    Read Also: Two suspected drug dealers nabbed with 40kg of hard drugs in Kebbi

    He was later re-arrested and arraigned for another drug-related offence, for which he was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment.

    While serving the three-year jail term, he was made to face the previous charge over which he jumped bail.

    The convict pleaded guilty to the charge.

    Prosecuting counsel Ichakpa Oigoga told the court that NDLEA recovered N31, 321, 013.55 million and N104,800,00 from the convict’s bank accounts.

    He added that a Toyota 4Runner and a Toyota Sienna were also recovered from him.

    The prosecutor said the money and the vehicles were proceeds of illicit drug dealing and should be forfeited.

    Justice Liman ordered their forfeiture to the Federal Government.

  • Nigerian drug dealer triggers shooting in Italy

    A suspected Nigerian drug dealer is being linked with a shooting yesterday in the central Italian city of Macerata in which at least five African migrants were targeted.

    It is feared the attack might be racially or drug motivated or a revenge attack.

    Unconfirmed report said one of the Africans hit by the gunman died.

    The shooter identified as Luca Traini was arrested at 12.45pm, at a monument in the city, after he gave the Nazi salute.

    The shooting happened just days after the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman Pamela Mastropietro, was discovered dismembered and hidden in two suitcases.

    A Nigerian migrant, Innocent Oseghale, 29, with a history of drug dealing, was arrested in connection with the death.

    According to Picchionews, published in Macerata, the Nigerian has denied the charge.

    “I did not kill her,” he was reported to have told the police repeatedly.

    Oseghale is said to be an asylum seeker with a residence permit, which expired last year.

    He is married and has a daughter. He however stays alone in an apartment, not rented in his name.

    Police, after searching his flat, found 70 grams of hashish but not heroin.

    Yesterday’s shooting put the city in a virtual lockdown as the Mayor ordered people to stay indoors.

    He was arrested around 12.45pm.

    He drove around the town, as a passenger in a black Alfa Romeo.

    Police confirmed that “gunshots have been fired and there are wounded”.

    No fewer than five Africans were hit, with unconfirmed reports stating one person died.

    The shootings began at 11am local time (10am) when the man shot at two young African migrants, according to local media.

    Another migrant and an African woman were reportedly shot shortly afterwards.

     

  • Drug dealer bags five years

    Drug dealer bags five years

    A Lagos Federal High Court has sentenced a 37-year-old man, Gafar Yaya, to five years in prison for dealing in hard drugs.

    Yaya was arraigned yesterday before Justice John Tsoho by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on a one-count charge of drug trafficking.

    When the charge was read to him in Yoruba, the accused pleaded guilty.

    The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, told the court that the accused was arrested by NDLEA officers on August 10 at Abule-Oki Bus Stop in Iyana-Ipaja, while selling cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian Hemp.

    He said Yaya was found with 800 grammes of cannabis sativa “a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD”, adding that the offence is punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap 30, LFN 2004.

    The prosecutor tendered a transparent envelope containing remnants of the drug and urged the court to convict the accused based on his plea and the evidence.

    Justice Tsoho held that he was satisfied with the prosecution’s evidence.

    He said: “I am satisfied of the guilt of the accused; I pronounce him guilty of the offence and convict him summarily.

    “The convict is hereby sentenced to five years imprisonment beginning from August 10 when he was arrested.”

    The judge ordered that the drugs be destroyed by NDLEA after 90 days if there is no appeal against the verdict. Aggrieved parties are entitled to appeal within 90 days of this judgment,” he said.

  • I’m a drug dealer, says blind man

    After two years in prison without trial, the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a 21-year-old man, Nura Abdullahi, to five years imprisonment for unlawfully dealing in 62 kilogrammes of marijuana.

    He was said to have become blind in custody following his arrest on March 19, 2013 at Ezewanta Motor Park at Ijora, Lagos.

    He pleaded guilty when he was arraigned on September 3.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

    The five-year prison term, the judge said, took effect from the day the convict was arrested.

    The judge ordered that the banned narcotic recovered from him be destroyed.

  • Judge shows mercy to drug dealer

    A 26-year-old man, John Daniel, escaped a lifetime in jail after he pleaded guilty to dealing in 14.3 kilogrammes of cannabis.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court jailed him for only two years because he was repentant.

    “The court has considered the convict’s plea for mercy and the fact that he is remorseful. The 26-year-old convict will be given another chance in life to turn a new leaf.

    “Accordingly, the convict is hereby sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment with effect from September 23, 2013, the day of his arrest.”

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arraigned Daniel on one-count charge of dealing in the banned substance after he was arrested on September 23 last year at Jass 38, Lekki, Lagos.

    He was charged for being in possession of the narcotic without lawful authority contrary to Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    The prosecution said the substance was later confirmed to be cannabis sativa or marijuana, a substance similar to cocaine in effect.

    NDLEA’s Deputy Superintendent, Narcotics, Mr. Taupyen Sunday said Daniel confessed to the crime.

    He said the substance were scientifically analysed and confirmed to be a outlawed narcotic.

    He tendered before the court a certificate of test analysis, a packing of substance form, a request for scientific aid form, Daniel’s statement, a drug analysis report and an exhibit of the seized drug sealed in big brown envelope.

    Daniel, who was not represented by a lawyer, pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy. He vowed not to return to the illicit business.

    After sentencing him, Justice Buba directed NDLEA to destroy the narcotic.