The Nation Newspaper

Tag: narcotics

  • NDLEA nabs two drug traffickers with N50m worth narcotics

    NDLEA nabs two drug traffickers with N50m worth narcotics

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Kano, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) command yesterday paraded two suspected drug traffickers in possession of hard drugs valued at over N50 million.

    Speaking to reporters on the arrest, the MAKIA NDLEA Commander, Mr. Ambrose Umoru, said that the suspected drug traffickers were apprehended on February 17 by anti narcotic agents attached to the airport.

    He explained that the suspects were apprehended during routine inward screening of passengers onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight number ET 941.

    According to him, one of the suspects, Nweke Emmanuel, (49) who hails from Ire in Idenmili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was in possession of 2.180kg of ingested heroine detected during the screening exercise. .

    Umoru said:  “The suspect is a businessman and barber who is based in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of Congo, traveled to Bujumbura, Burundi where he ingested a total of 127 wraps of heroine.”

    The second suspect, Miss Olunwabusola Dumebi (32), from Ibusa in Oshimili Local Government Area of Delta State, a stylist by profession, was billed to board same flight with the first suspect.

    He noted three kg of a whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine was also discovered in her possession.

     

  • Court jails labourer for trafficking cannabis

    Court jails labourer for trafficking cannabis

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday, sentenced a 23-years-old labourer, Musa Danjuma, to one year imprisonment, for trafficking in 350g of Cannabis Sativa, also known as `Hemp’.

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ), on January 29, arraigned the convict on a one count charge of trafficking Hemp.

    Danjuma pleaded guilty to the charge.

    The prosecution said that Danjuma was arrested on September 13, 2017, at Ajao Estate in Lagos, with 350kg of the narcotics.

    He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    Read also: Court remands Ondo monarch, four others for alleged stealing

    The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, after Danjuma’s plea of guilt, reviewed the facts of the case before the court and led one prosecution witness in evidence.

    He tendered in evidence, a written statement of the accused, a request for scientific aid form, and a bulk of the exhibit.

    Aernan, thereafter, closed the case for the prosecution, and urged the court to sentence the accused in accordance with section 356 (2) of the ACJA 2015, and based on evidences adduced.

    At the resumed hearing, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, found the accused guilty as charged and accordingly, convicted him.

    The convict, who was not represented by a lawyer, pleaded for mercy and asked the court to give him a second chance to make amend.

    Oguntoyinbo sentenced the convict to one year imprisonment and held that the sentence would commence from the date of his arrest.

    “The convict is hereby, sentenced to one year imprisonment, to be calculated from the date of his arrest.

    “The drug exhibits are to be returned to the NDLEA for destruction,” she held.

    NAN

  • NDLEA arrests two with narcotics at MMIA

    NDLEA arrests two with narcotics at MMIA

    National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials yesterday arrested two suspects for alleged drug trafficking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

    The agency said it has uncovered new tricks used by traffickers to circumvent security checks.

    Roland Chukwudi Tochukwu, 37, who was apprehended for allegedly importing 2.045kg of heroin from Nairobi, Kenya, was found with a fake travel ticket indicating that he was coming from China.

    Maduka Nnaemeka Peter, 39, was caught while allegedly attempting to export 1.555kg of cocaine to Dubai.

    Preliminary investigation, according to the NDLEA, revealed that Roland Chukwudi Tochukwu replaced his ticket with a fake one showing that he was coming from China instead of Nairobi.

    This was intended to place him on a low risk profile but his expectations were dashed as the heroin allegedly concealed inside his luggage was detected during screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight.

    NDLEA commander, Ahmadu Garba, while giving reasons for the ticket falsification, said the drugs were more expensive in Asia.

    “The suspect wanted to distract the attention of officers by presenting himself as coming from China while he actually took off from Nairobi. This is because it is economically unwise to bring narcotics from China where the price is far higher than here in Nigeria. Heroin weighing 2.045kg was found inside the luggage of Roland while Maduka Nnaemeka Peter also concealed 1.555kg of cocaine in his luggage on his way to Dubai on an Etihad flight,” the commander said.

    He said the suspects, who are from Anambra State, will soon be charged to court.

  • UNODC, NAFDAC launch report on narcotics, use

    UNODC, NAFDAC launch report on narcotics, use

    Eleven percent of global opiate users live in Africa, with more than half in West and Central Africa, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said.
    It made this known last Friday at the launch of the 2016 annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Laboratory, Oshodi, Lagos.
    The report said the number of women arrested for drug-related crimes had increased significantly.
    UNODC’s Project Officer Ms Harsheth Virk said once imprisoned, drug use was more prevalent among female prisoners than their male counterparts.
    “There is a strong link between sex work and drug use. Some women turn to sex work as a means to support a drug dependent lifestyle, while sex workers may use drugs to cope with the demands and nature of their work,” Virk said.
    She said there was a rise in the involvement of African nationals in drug trafficking worldwide, adding “West Africa has been increasingly affected by criminal operations that involve not only trafficking of cocaine from South America to Europe but also distribution for local abuse and illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs destined mainly for markets in Asia.
    “According to the UNODC, Opiates originating from Afghanistan are increasingly being trafficked to East and West Africa, either for local consumption or onward shipment.
    NAFDAC Acting Director-General Mrs Yetunde Oni represented by the Director, Narcotic and Controlled Substance Directorate Dr Umar Musa said the agency would ensure the availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes and prevent their diversion.

  • NDLEA nabs pilgrim with narcotic, resues two others

    A 55 year old female pilgrim to Medina, Saudi Arabia to perform the annual pilgrimage has tested positive to narcotic ingestion at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja. She was immediately placed under observation by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
    The suspect identified as Mrs Binuyo Basira Iyabo has so far excreted seventy-six (76) pellets of substances found to be cocaine.
    At the Murtalla Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, officials also intercepted a 37 year old father of three children for inserting seven wraps of cocaine weighing 355 grammes inside his anus.
    Both suspects were going to Saudi and China where drug trafficking is punishable by death.
    NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan said that the female suspect is still under observation until she expels all the ingested pellets of drugs.
    “Mrs Binuyo was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to Medina through Dubai. She has so far excreted seventy-six (76) pellets of drugs that tested positive for cocaine. Meanwhile, she is still under observation until the drugs are completely expelled,” Hamisu stated.
    Mrs Binuyo hails from Irepodun local government area of Kwara State. She is married with three children and a trader at dosumu market, Lagos. In her statement, she agreed to smuggling the drugs for a fee.
    “I am a trader in Lagos, married with three children. I wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I have no money. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage. I was excited until I was asked to take drugs along.
    “I wanted to decline but considering the offer of a million naira, I accepted. I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process” she stated.

  • Cocaine trafficker sentenced to 12 years

     

    Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court 10, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja on Monday May 16, 2016 sentenced a thirty-one (31) year old technician, Michael Nwobodo to twelve years imprisonment with hard labour.

     

    The convict who attempted to escape on the day of arrest will now spend twelve years in prison custody with hard labour.

    He pleaded guilty to unlawful importation of cocaine, an offence punishable under the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act.

     

    Justice Okon in his judgement observed that the illicit drug trade was not abating and that measures must be taken to stop the criminal act.

    NDLEA Chairman, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) commended the ruling, adding that the agency will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the fight against illicit drugs in the country.

     

    “This will serve both as a deterrent and a corrective measure to the convict and others who are involved in narcotic production, trafficking and abuse. The Agency will not relent in partnering with stakeholders in apprehending and prosecuting drug traffickers” Abdallah stated.

    It will be recalled that the convict who was arrested on February 29, 2016 with eighty-one wraps of cocaine weighing 1.350kg on his way from Dubai attempted to escape by breaking through a glass wall at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja.

     

    He was later arrested and treated for the injuries he sustained. The 81 wraps of cocaine were concealed in Parker Whisky packs along with boxes of chocolates inside a duty free bag.

    Michael Nwobodo reportedly told officials that he was not under the influence of narcotics but only tried to escape because of fear of going to prison.

    NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Mr. Hamisu Lawan said that more passengers coming from Dubai had been found with cocaine at the Abuja airport in recent times.

  • Fake NDLEA ‘narcotics superintendent’ jailed

    Fake NDLEA ‘narcotics superintendent’ jailed

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday sentenced Okoro Anthony to four years imprisonment for falsely claiming to be a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) official.

    The agency said he deceived unsuspecting public by claiming to be a Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics.‎

    Forged NDLEA letter headed papers, letter of employment and letter of compensation were found on him, the prosecution said.

    Justice B. Kuewumi sentences him after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

    The NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. Fingere Dinneys, said Anthony was arrest at Alaba Primary School, Alaba, Lagos.

    He was charged with “unlawful assumption of name, character and designation of an officer of the NDLEA.”

    The alleged offence, the agency said, contravenes Section 15 of the NDLEA Act of 2004.

    The prosecutor, while reviewing the facts of the case, tendered Anthony’s confessional statement and exhibits recovered from him.

    The judge said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and handed him a four-year jail term.

  • Four remanded for ‘possession of narcotics’

    Four remanded for ‘possession of narcotics’

    • Two arrested with 500g of cocaine

    Four people have been remanded in prison by a Magistrate’s Court in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, for alleged unlawful possession of narcotics.

    Ibrahim Ayotunde, Adefisayo Sunday (18), Mercy Anthony (36) and Ikeade Bose Esan (45) were yesterday arraigned by the National Drug  Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The charge sheet stated that Ayotunde was arrested on November 29 on the Akure-Ilesha Expressway with 10.8kg of hemp.

    Sunday was arrested at Ile-Ife for allegedly possessing 700g of hemp.

    The charge sheet reads: “You, Ikeade Bose Esan, had in your possession 571.6kg of hemp, otherwise known as cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the NDLEA Act of 2004.”

    The prosecutor, John Amel, told the court that Anthony was arrested on December 4 on the Ilesa/Akure Highway with 17.9kg of hemp.

    However, no plea was taken.

    The presiding judge, Magistrate Olusola Aluko, directed counsel to the accused, Shaibu Gomina and Mrs Bose Adeyinka, to file applications for their clients’ bail.

    The judge ordered that the accused be remanded in Ilesa Prison and adjourned till January 20.

    In Ondo State, the NDLEA arrested two suspected drug peddlers with 500g of cocaine in Ondo West Local Government Area.

    The State Commander, Mohammed Sokoto, broke the news at a briefing on the command’s activities in Akure, the state capital.

    Sokoto refused to give further details about the suspects, saying they have been charged to court.

    He said: “We have arrested two persons and investigation is still on and as soon as they are convicted, we will let you know.”

    The commander said 113,305. 305.844kg of cannabis sativa  were seized between January and December.

    He added that 21 cannabis farmlands were destroyed during the year, which he said represented 323 acres with an estimated 1,550.4 tons of destroyed stems of cannabis sativa.

    His words: “A total of 210 suspects were arrested -131 men, 16 women, 53 counseled and 10 being rehabilitated. About 35 persons were convicted within the year.

    “Eleven vehicles and seven motorcycles were seized. These include four trucks, five cars and two lorries”.

     

  • I deal in narcotics, expectant woman tells court

    An expectant mother, Saudat Wasiu (28), pleaded guilty yesterday to selling Indian hemp.

    She told the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, that she sold Indian hemp to survive.

    Ms Wasiu, who lives in Ejigbo on the outskirts of Lagos, was arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on December 4, last year.

    About 3.9kg of narcotics, concealed in a rice sack, was found in her possession.

    Although drug trafficking attracts a life imprisonment punishment on conviction, Justice Mohammed Yunusa tempered justice with mercy and sentenced Ms Wasiu to three months imprisonment.

    The sentence would run from when she was arrested.

    Justice Yunusa advised the convict not to return to the criminal trade.