The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Drug trafficking

  • Drug trafficking: Another Nigerian arrested in Saudi Arabia — Presidential aide

    Another Nigerian has been arrested at the Jeddah airport, Saudi Arabia for allegedly smuggling about 1,138g of cocaine, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said yesterday.

    Dabiri-Erewa, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, expressed disappointment that this came soon after a Nigerian lady was executed in the same country for a related offence.

    “The sad thing is that in the midst of talking of about 20 Nigerians on death roll, even as eight had been executed, just yesterday another Nigerian, Wahid Somade, was arrested at Jeddah airport with about I,138g of cocaine,” she said.

    “The latest one would be added to those that could be executed.”

    Read also: Execution of Nigerian: We followed legal procedure, says Saudi

    She said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had informed the family of the executed lady whose name she gave as Kudirat Afolabi, a widow and mother of two.

    She added: ”We pay our condolence to the family and keep begging Nigerians to obey the laws of other countries and Saudi has replied us officially, saying their law is their law.

    “However, diplomatic engagement will continue at the highest level.

    “It does not matter where you come from; you hold a green passport. Do not let a few people denigrate every one of us.”

    Dabiri-Erewa, however, stressed  the need to celebrate the success stories of Nigerians in the diaspora.

    “We have Nigerians doing great things all over the world; we are going to focus on them,” she said.

    Dabiri-Erewa called for concerted efforts on compulsory baggage identification at airports as well as more security surveillance and cameras at screening points at the airports.

  • Ghanaian charged with drug trafficking

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday re-arraigned a Ghanaian, Paul Gyan, at the Federal High Court, Lagos on a three-count charge of drug trafficking.

    He was arrested at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers to Indonesia.

    The NDLEA said Gyan, 36, concealed 2.02kg of methamphetamine in 10 tomato tins packed in a ‘Ghana-must-go’ sack.

    Read also: ‘Avoid pain killer drugs to prevent kidney damage’

    He was first arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi last year, but the judge was transferred to another division.

    Gyan pleaded not guilty, but he was denied bail because NDLEA said he posed a flight risk.

    The defendant was re-arraigned before Justice Maureen Onyetenu.

    NDLEA counsel Mrs. Juliana Imaobong said the defendant committed the offence on February 25 last year.

    Justice Onyetenu adjourned till May 13.

     

  • Four jailed for drug trafficking

    A Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, presided over by Justice I. B. Gafai, has jailed four persons for drug trafficking.

    The suspects were arrested last month by the National Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the state and arraigned.

    They are James Odili, 26, Paul Odah, 21, Ugochukwu Okafor, 28 and Ugochukwu Onuchekwa, 35.

    The accused were sentenced to two years imprisonment each.

    Odili was arrested with 1.150 kilogramme of cannabis sativa, Odah was nabbed with 3.5 kg of cannabis sativa, Okafor was held with 2.8kg and Onuchekwa with 1.8 grammes of methamphetamine and 1.7 grammes of cocaine.

    NDLEA Commander Mr. Sule Momodu warned drug traffickers to leave the state, as it would no longer be conducive for them.

  • Fed Govt to tackle drug trafficking

    The Federal Government, in conjunction with the United Nations Office for Drug Control (UNODC) and the European Union (EU), yesterday announced its efforts to tackle drug trafficking.

    UNODC Director of Operations Miwa Kato in a statement in Abuja at the launch of the National Survey on Drug Use in Nigeria, said the agency looked forward to working with the Federal Government, as it continued in its efforts to “employ a balanced approach to drug control in order to increase access to drug treatment services.”

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ohanire, noted the work being done to mitigate the challenges drug use posed to Nigerians.

    Read also: Troops kill 21 bandits, capture 17, rescue 89

    He welcomed the idea to strengthen drug demand reduction strategies, with a focus on evidence-based drug use prevention and treatment in the new edition of the

    National Drug Control Master Plan for 2020 to 2024, currently being formulated.

     

  • School teacher gets death sentence for drug trafficking

    A school teacher in northern Vietnam has received the death penalty for drug trafficking, state media reported on Wednesday.

    “Vu Ba Xenh, 40, was arrested in June 2018 in Nghe An province with 15 kilogrammes of drugs following a police shootout,” the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.

    On the day of his arrest, Xenh, who was offered 200 dollars to transport drugs around Nghe An, had been meeting smugglers on the Vietnamese side of a forested border area to transport the drugs onward within Vietnam.

    However, the group was intercepted by police.

    Read Also: Rihanna sues own father for ‘stealing Fenty brand name’

    Although Xenh was successfully apprehended, other members of the group opened fire on the police and fled.

    Two police officers were shot, with one permanently confined to a wheelchair as a result of his injuries.

    Police found 20 packages of heroin, seven kilogrammes of methamphetamine and 12,000 pills of an undisclosed “synthetic” drug at the scene, including the 15 kilogrammes of drugs found on Xenh’s person, as well as one gun.

    While it was unclear from the court ruling the type of drugs specifically found on Xenh, trafficking over 100 grammes of either meth or heroin warrants the death penalty in Vietnam.

  • Aviation security officer nabs two Mozambicians for drug trafficking

    A female Aviation security officer has apprehended two Mozambician citizens for being in possession of over 7.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and ephedrine at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The AVSEC officer, Olupeju Oluwaseun, detected the bag containing the illicit drugs with tag number SA2312119 at the baggage hall last Wednesday, which led to the discovery of three other bags with numbers SA232117, SA232116 and SA232120.

    She was said to have been suspicious of the bag after it had gone through the scanning machine.

    The officer was said to have insisted that the bag be checked manually to be sure that her suspicion was wrong.

    Officers of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were reported to have been invited to do their job of searching the bag, which revealed a force bottom parked full of the illicit drugs.

    NDLEA Lagos Airport commander, Garba Ahmadu, who confirmed the incident, said the suspected drug traffickers were arrested while trying to board a South African Airways flight.

    “The drugs were discovered in a force bottom bag during security screening of bags by a female aviation security officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who later handed the suspected bag to the officials of the NDLEA.

    “Three other bags containing same illicit drugs belonging to the traffickers were later discovered already parked inside the aircraft with the assistance of the airline”.

    The commander said during investigation, it was discovered the two Mozambiquan citizens were heading home after a religious pilgrimage.

    He commended the female AVSEC officer for her insistence that the bag containing the illicit drugs be checked, adding collaboration like this would help to bring to the barest drug trafficking through the airport.

    The suspects are still in the custody of the NDLEA as investigation was still ongoing to get other members of the drug ring.

  • Buhari tasks ECOWAS leaders on terrorism, human, drug trafficking

    Buhari tasks ECOWAS leaders on terrorism, human, drug trafficking

    •Seeks regional measures to evacuate, resettle, empower stranded citizens abroad

    President Muhammadu  Buhari yesterday charged leaders in the West African sub-region on the need to urgently tackle the challenges of terrorism, human trafficking and drug trafficking in the area.

    According to him, the problems are greatly affecting young men, women and economies of the region.

    He spoke in Abuja while delivering welcome address at the 52nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

    He said “In West Africa, we live in constant threat of violent terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, AQIM and Al-Qaida. Nearly every week we see and hear the horror of human trafficking perpetrated by trans-border syndicates, who lure our youths to slavery through irregular migration.

    “We see the consequences, on our young men and women and on our economies, of drug trafficking and capital flight.” Accordingly, it is imperative that we take urgent action to address these challenges.

    “In collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration, we, in Nigeria, have been evacuating our compatriots who are stranded in Libya. Returnees have been receiving needed support including from state governments and   some non-governmental organisations.

    “I have instructed the National Emergency Management Agency to speed up the evacuation of all Nigerians stranded in Libya and facilitate their resettlement.

    “In view of the enormity of this challenge, may I suggest that we look into the possibility of putting in place a well run regional mechanism for the evacuation, resettlement  and empowerment of stranded ECOWAS citizens abroad.” he said

    He also urged the leaders in a joint effort to step up dialogue with European partners in order to overcome the challenges.

    The President said that the long term solutions to the challenges is to create conditions of peace and security in the ECOWAS countries and ensure sustainable development of the economies.

    “Only through this can we create jobs and other conditions in which our youths will have little or no excuse to embark on the suicidal venture of irregular migration.” he said

    He said that the region since 2001 has been steadily developing the culture of democratic  practice, including good governance and respect for the Rule of Law.

    He said “This trend has just been demonstrated in Liberia. I salute the people of Liberia for the manner in which they conducted themselves during and in the aftermath of the just concluded general elections.

    “It is my fervent hope that the same attitude prevails in the coming run-off election scheduled to hold on 26 December, and a new president is inaugurated in January, 2018 as per the provision of the country’s Constitution.”

    Buhari also appealed to the citizens of Togo to continue to embrace dialogue in efforts to resolve their political differences.

    He therefore urged the government to widen the space for dialogue and mediation.

    On Ginuea Bissau, he said “With regards to our sister nation, Guinea-Bissau, it is worrisome that the continued political deadlock is taking its toll on the people, on good governance and the resources of member States, particularly troops from contributing countries to the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau.

    “I therefore strongly urge all the stakeholders in Guinea Bissau to respect their undertakings in plans to resolve the political impasse.”

    Reflecting on the recent recession and economic challenges faced by ECOWAS Member States, he said that there is an urgent need to review the spending patterns of all the community institutions, to ensure that dwindling resources are put to good economic use for the optimization of strategic goals of the community.

  • NDLEA Boss warns stakeholders against drug trafficking

    NDLEA Boss warns stakeholders against drug trafficking

    The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd), Wednesday in Kano, expressed disgust over the involvement of stakeholders in illicit drugs trafficking at the nation’s international airports.

    Speaking at the sensitization workshop on the Implications of Illicit Drugs trafficking for Stakeholders at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Abdallah noted that, “the trafficking of these illicit substances has always required the complexity of some few bad eggs, among the stakeholders in our air transport system.”

    The Chairman, who was represented by the Commander, Katsina State (NDLEA), Hajiya Maryam Sani, explained that the involvement of the stakeholders could be as a result of greed and, “get rich quick syndrome which has debilitating effect on our society.

    ”Gladly, things are getting worse for the merchants of death, due to strong collaborative efforts NDLEA has with the countries in our sub-region, though much is still desired at the sub-regional level, as such this collaborative effort has forced traffickers to seek for a new route in order to deliver their illicit commodities to the market, thereby ruining our economy.

    ”There are also stringent measures put in place at our various international airports, whereby the mules importing drugs into Nigeria now have to fly into neighbouring countries, or other African sub-regions from where the drugs are smuggled into Nigeria through different routes or sometimes through illegal routes, for onward delivery to consumer nations.”

    Abdallah, added that, “with this coordinated response, coupled with the Agency’s strong links with the country’s of the world, this monster of drugs traffickers shall be crushed.

    “The enemy is strong; there is need for concerted efforts to be taken at all levels of Governments and also all stakeholders because we cannot win the fight alone, as I call on all and sundry to put hands on deck to fight the drug menace in our country.”

    In his remarks, the Commander, MAKIA, Kano NDLEA, Ambrose Umoru, noted that the Command under the able-leadership of Col Abdallah (rtd), has noticed, with dismay the alarming rate at which few stakeholders within the airport community are getting involved in illicit drugs trafficking activities.

    According to him,  ” it is rather disheartening that only last month,  that five airline handlers were convicted on various count charges of complexity, aiding and abetting illicit drugs trafficking, ranging from two to three years jail terms. Also, two more airline handlers are been investigated for allegedly aiding illegal drugs couriers.”

  • Nigerian, Malawian girlfriends arrested for drug trafficking

    Nigerian, Malawian girlfriends arrested for drug trafficking

    A 43-year-old Nigerian, Christian Osingwelen, has been arrested with two Malawian ladies for drug trafficking.

    They were arrested at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe for illegal possession and importation of the dangerous drug called Ephedrin contrary to section 11 (a) Regulation 19 of Dangerous Drug Act.

    39- year- old Lusungu Mlenga and 33-year-old Nkhata Bayand Rita Juma were arrested with the Nigerian.

    Airport Police Branch Public Relations Office Sapulain Chitonde Lee told Malawi News Agency (Mana) police received a tipoff from MRA Officers working in the arrivals hall that Mlenga is suspected to be collecting a table with drug concealment.

    “Police searched the table and found packets of unknown powder and later broke one of packet to see the powder where they found a dangerous drug called Ephedrin

    “We are yet to finalise interrogating the three to where the drugs were coming from and who owns it,” said Chitonde.

    Chitonde added that Mlenga received a phone call from an unknown person (name withheld) to collect a table from the airport, which had gone missing.

    He said that USD2000 and additional MK700, 000.00 was paid as custom clearance for the table from MRA without knowing what was inside.

    “Juma, a girl friend to the Nigerian man received a call from his friend to collect 1000 USD in town and give it to him at the airport without telling her the use of the said money.

    “The Nigerian while accepting the statements from his friends is, however, denying ownership of both the table and the drug, despite giving Mlenga all the money to clear the table at MRA,” said Chitonde.

    He further said MRA officers who handled the matter revealed to the police that Mlenga tried to bribe them with the said amount taking advantage that they were all women who needed to be helped saying if they felt they needed they should get it from the Nigerian.

    “We are thanking MRA Officers for being professional when discharging their duties and tipping them about the three who they managed to get hold of them until police were informed.”

     

  • Singaporean Appeal Court orders review of Nigerian’s death sentence 

    Singaporean Appeal Court orders review of Nigerian’s death sentence 

    The Appeal Court of Singapore Wednesday ordered a review of its 2015 conviction of a Nigerian, Ilechukwu Uchechukwu Chukwudi, for drug trafficking citing availability of new evidence.

    In a written judgment, a three-man panel comprising Chao Hick Tin, Andrew Phang and Tay Yong Kwang said the new evidence raised “a powerful probability” that their decision to convict Chukwudi was wrong.

    Two years ago the appellate court overturned a Singaporean High Court judgment which acquitted Chukwudi following his trial for bringing nearly 2kg of methamphetamine into Singapore, enough to warrant the death penalty.

    But yesterday, the judges allowed the application by Ilechukwu’s lawyers to review the conviction, because of “the unique turn of events.”

    They relied on a psychiatric report by the country’s Institute of Mental Health (IMH) issued in March, in which a psychiatrist Dr Jaydip Sarkar said Ilechukwu suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as “a result of childhood trauma … of being nearly killed and viewing the killing of others.”

    The judges, who were the same judges that quashed Ilechukwu’s acquittal in 2015, said the report raised “a matter which has a crucial bearing on our decision.”

    According to Dr Sakar’s report, Chukwudi’s PTSD symptoms were “triggered” after he was told by officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) that he faced the death penalty for trafficking methamphetamine.

    This could have “prompted him to utter unsophisticated and blatant falsehoods (to the CNB) in order to save his life,” the psychiatrist said.

    Despite the prosecution’s objections the appellate court said it “would be best” to “reconsider” all the facts of the case “after additional evidence … has (been produced) and dealt with”.

    Chukwudi’s case will now be reassigned to a High Court judge following which it may be heard again on appeal by the appellate court.

    The Nigerian arrived in Singapore from Lagos, on November 13, 2011, with a black suitcase in tow.

    He passed the suitcase to Singaporean Hamidah Awang, who placed it in her car and drove to a checkpoint at Woodlands where the drugs were found in the suitcase after the car was searched.

    Chukwudi was arrested in his hotel room the next day.

    A High Court judge acquitted him in 2014, accepting that he did not know the suitcase contained drugs.

    The prosecution appealed and in 2015, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal and convicted him of trafficking methamphetamine.