The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NDLEA

  • 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

  • Edo goes after cannabis farmers

    Edo goes after cannabis farmers

    … to set up Forestry Commission

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said the state government will set up a Drug Control Committee in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to control the cultivation and abuse of Cannabis in the state.

    The governor, said this when he received the Edo State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Wakawa Buba, who was on a working visit to the governor at the Government House, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

    Obaseki expressed displeasure over Edo State being listed among the highest Cannabis producing states in Nigeria, noting that his administration will provide support to the NDLEA to stem the tide.

    He said, “Edo State Government identifies with your effort to reduce the demand and supply of Cannabis. We will support your effort through sensitisation, counselling, prosecution and rehabilitation of drug addicts, through the state’s ministries of Health, Women Affairs and Social Development.”

    Obaseki said that the state government will set up a Forestry Commission, where forest guards will be recruited to check the cultivation of cannabis in forests across the state.

    The Edo State Commander, NDLEA, Mr. Wakawa Buba, said the setting up of Drug Control Committee by the state government will complement the effort of the agency in controlling the cultivation and abuse of cannabis.

    Buba added that the partnership with the state government will enable NDLEA combat drug cartels and assist youths overcome drug abuse and other related vices in society.

    He also appealed to the state government to support the agency in procuring operational vehicles, construction of a standard cottage at the Drug Rehabilitation Centre and reconstruction of the state’s command office fence.

    The commander regretted that most government forest reserves in the state have been converted to Cannabis colonies.

    The implications of Cannabis cultivation include threat to food security, deforestation and the recruitment of school-age children as workers in Cannabis farms among others.

  • Man jailed 18 months for drug trafficking

    Man jailed 18 months for drug trafficking

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday  sentenced a 28-year-old man, Oluwaseun Olamilekan, to 18 months imprisonment, for allegedly trafficking in cannabis sativa (Indian-hemp).

    In his judgment at the resumed hearing, Justice Ayokunle Faji, said the imprisonment would begin from the date of his arrest.

    He ordered that the drug exhibits to be returned to the NDLEA for destruction.

    The convict had begged for leniency and promised to turn a new leaf.

    Olamilekan was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a one count charge of trafficking in narcotic substance.

    Read Also: NDLEA nabs two with 1,996 kg of Indian hemp

    He had earlier been arraigned before the court on Sept. 8, 2017 when he pleaded guilty.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, had told the court that the convict was arrested on Aug. 10, 2017 at Kasimu Street in Agege, Lagos, with 3.1kilogrames of narcotics.

    Aernan tendered some documents in evidence as well as some remnant of the narcotic substance.

    He said the offence contravened Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    NAN

  • NDLEA nabs two with 1,996 kg of Indian hemp

    NDLEA nabs two with 1,996 kg of Indian hemp

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has arrested two persons with 1,996kg of Indian hemp.

    The agency said the market value of the seized drug is over N20m.

    The NDLEA said the substance was discovered in a warehouse built inside a thick forest at Ugbubezi village in Owan West local government area of Edo State.

    A statement signed by the Edo Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Wakawa Buba, gave the names of two persons arrested in connection with the drug as Augustine Egwutu (45) and Gabriel Orji (38).

    Wakawa said the warehouse was used to stock large quantities of cannabis before being transported to buyers across different states of the nation.

    The NDLEA official said the warehouse was discovered through intelligence gathering, adding that efforts were ongoing to track fleeing members of the drug cartel.

    “Working on intelligence, we successfully traced a major cannabis warehouse located at Ugbubezi forest where two suspects were arrested and currently undergoing interrogation.

    “The command has spread its dragnet to apprehend other members of the cartel and other drug traffickers in Edo State,” Buba said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • NDLEA arrests 646 suspects, seizes 1,238,45kgs of illicit drugs in Jigawa

    NDLEA arrests 646 suspects, seizes 1,238,45kgs of illicit drugs in Jigawa

    The Jigawa command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ), arrested 646 suspects and recovered 1,283.54 kilograms of narcotics in 2017, according to its spokesman, Mairaga Ya’u.

    Ya’u, in a statement on Thursday in Dutse, said that 112 of those arrested had been convicted and were serving various jail terms.

    According to him, 416 persons were counseled by the agency within the period under review.

    He said that 40,000 persons benefited from the agency’s 68 drug preventive education lectures/advocacy talks  conducted in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

    The spokesman said that the agency had arrested 30 persons over drug-related crimes this year, while 4.51 kilograms of assorted drugs were also recovered.

    Read Also: Suspected drug traffickers kill NDLEA officer in Kano

    “Already, 11 persons, out of the 30 arrested this year, have been convicted and sent to jail, while 13 persons are currently undergoing counseling,” he said.

    The spokesman decried the rising spate of drug-related crimes in Jigawa, and called for concerted efforts to rid the state of the menace.

    “The drug war should not be left to NDLEA alone; everyone  has a role to play in the effort to rid the country of drug trafficking and abuse,” he said.

    NAN

  • Hemp plantation: NDLEA arrests 9 suspects in Gombe

    Hemp plantation: NDLEA arrests 9 suspects in Gombe

    National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ) has arrested nine suspects in connection with a suspected Indian Hemp plantation in Kulani village in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State.

    The NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Aliyu Adole, disclosed  an interview in Gombe on Tuesday.

    Adole said the suspects reside in the village where the plantation, capable of producing large quantity of the hemp, was uncovered.

    He added that “the suspects have Indian hemp plantation capable of producing large quantity of the weed.

    “It is unfortunate that our youths are engaged in hemp farming instead of food or cash crops production.”

    Adole said the suspects were not selling the weed in the state alone, but were exporting part of it to neighbouring states of Adamawa and Taraba.

    The commander said the suspects would be prosecuted after investigation.

    Read Also:  NDLEA  seizes 19 sacks of India hemp in Osun, arrests suspect

    He explained that the command was looking at the possibility of establishing an area command in Tallase, headquarter of Balanga Local Government Area, to curb activities of farmers who engaged in Indian hemp cultivation.

    “We want to establish an office at the local government headquarters so that we will be able to monitor the activities of criminals who engaged in cultivation of the weed.

    “But our major constraint has to do with work force: we cannot perform effectively without adequate manpower, which is lacking at present.

    “Once the rainy season starts, you begin to see farms where the weed is planted: we do not want to give people the chance to engage in such illegal activity.”

    Adole appealed to government at all levels to assist the agency with logistics to enable its operatives to penetrate difficult terrain in the state.

    He warned people who were into hard drug business to stop or be made to face the consequences.

    NAN

  • NDLEA apprehends 235 drug offenders, seizes 334kg of drugs

    NDLEA apprehends 235 drug offenders, seizes 334kg of drugs

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Akwa Ibom Command, said on Sunday that it arrested 235 suspected drug offenders and seized 334.06 kilogrammes of drug from them in 2017.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Joy Agumuo, a Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo.

    Agumuo said that of the 235 arrested, 191 were males while 44 were females.

    She said that there was a reduction in the number of suspects arrested and quantity of drug seized, compared to the 2016 figures of 301 suspects and 405.195 kg of drugs.

    The public relations officer revealed that during the period under review, 10 of the suspects were convicted and serving various jail terms.

    She said that the Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the agency counseled some addicts, adding that they had been rehabilitated and reunited with their families

    “We arrested 235 suspected drug dealers and users and secured 10 convictions in Akwa Ibom State during 2017 operation.

    “Of this number, 191 were males while 44 were females. Over 334.06 kg of hard drugs were seized from these suspects within the period,” Agumuo said.

    According to her, some of the seizures made were cocaine, heroin, cannabis sativa (Indian hemp), diazepam, tramadol and psychotropic substances.

    She expressed dismay over the high prevalence of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) and combined substance users in Uyo, the state capital.

    Agumuo advised those who indulged in hard drugs to desist from the habit to avoid its adverse health implications as well as the long arm of the law.

    She attributed the achievements of the agency during the year to the commitment of the personnel, good working relationship and synergy between it and other security agencies in the state.

    She said: “the command worked hard to limit the supply and abuse of hard drugs and other psychoactive substances in the state.

    “The result is the reduction in the number of suspects and quantity of drugs seized.

    Agumuo urged the people to cooperate with the agency by volunteering adequate information on drug dealers for prompt action.

    She assured the people that the agency would not relent in its effort to comb all nooks and crannies to rid the state of drug dealers.

    The PRO identified poor funding, inadequate logistics and office accommodation as some of the challenges facing the command. (NAN)

  • Stakeholders urge FG to beef up security at Lagos airport

    Stakeholders urge FG to beef up security at Lagos airport

    Stakeholders in the aviation sector have called on the Federal Government to beef up security at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, following recent alleged poaching of aircraft and stealing of baggage.

    They said on Monday in Lagos that security was the bottom line of aviation, hence the need to urgently address the issue.

    Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees ( NUATE ), noted that such incidents were not good for the image of the country.

    “This is not a good story for the country.

    “We know that no outsider can come into the airport except maybe people that have been disengaged or maybe workers that are presently working at the airport but are being owed salaries and benefits.

    “Imagine a worker working in a security company, earning N40, 000 as salary, is approached by a passenger with 1,000 dollars to smuggle an illegal substance into an aircraft.

    Read also: Truck hits Air Peace aircraft at Lagos Airport 

    “Some of them will do the dirty job willingly but when such workers are given commensurate remuneration and benefits, they will not be easily enticed,” he said.

    Abioye urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA ) to immediately invite all the security service providers to a round table where their operations could be properly reviewed.

    Also, the President of the Aviation Round Table (ART), Mr Gbenga Olowo, said there was need to centralised security at the airport and also deployed technology in strategic areas.

    “Today, we have Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ), Immigration, Air Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ), Directorate of State Security ( DSS ) and Police

    “We should centralised security at the airports. ART has been talking about this for some time because we must take the best model of aviation security by removing it from many hands.

    “We should stop these various agencies from setting up their individual desks. So, we should centralise security and deploy technology.

    “When you deploy technology, you don’t need a separate counter for narcotics or DSS because once you get to immigration, all your details will be there,” he said.

    NAN

  • Court remands barber, bus conductor, for drug trafficking

    Court remands barber, bus conductor, for drug trafficking

    A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of Samuel Oluwaseun, 30 and Soliu Forounbi 25, in prison custody, for allegedly trafficking in had drugs.

    Oluwaseun was arraigned for trafficking in 550 grammes of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) while Farounbi was docked for being in possession of 450 grammes of other narcotics.

    The Judge, Hadiza Shagari, gave order for the remand when the two accused persons pleaded guilty as charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ).

    Justice Shagari adjourned the case of the first accused until Feb. 5 for review of facts and that of the second accused until Feb. 6.

    They are standing trial on one-count charge of drug trafficking, which contravenes Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap No. 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, had told the court that Oluwaseun, a barber, committed the offence on Nov. 1, 2017, while Farounbi, a bus conductor, committed the same offence on Nov. 3, 2017.

    Aernan said that the first accused was arrested at Mile 12 in Lagos, for allegedly possessing the 550 grammes of cannabis sativa.

    He also said that the second accused was arrested at Kola Market in Agado Lagos, for allegedly being in possession of 450 grammes other narcotics.

    The prosecutor urged the court to remand the two accused in prison custody, pending the review of the facts of their cases.

  • NAFDAC, NDLEA partner to fight drug abuse

    The leaderships of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have resolved to join forces to combat the rising cases of drug abuse across the country.

    The two agencies, whose primary mandates revolve around control of abuse, adulteration and mismanagement of regulated pharmaceutical products and other consumables, have decided not to leave anything to chance by resolving to take urgent measures to curtail the rising incidence of drug abuse among Nigerians.

    NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Moji Christiana Adeyeye, while speaking during a working visit to the NDLEA Chairman in Abuja  stressed the need for the two agencies to close ranks for better efficiency.

    Prof. Adeyeye said: “Our visit to NDLEA is coming after the stakeholders round table held in Kano. It is intended to foster familiarity among the leadership of the twin agencies so that we can work with better results to the benefit of Nigerians.

    “It will also afford us the opportunity to work in synergy without issues with regards to the specific and general mandates of the two agencies.”

    Responding, NDLEA Chairman, Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd), reemphasised the need for closer relationship between the two agencies.

    According to Abdallah, drug abuse has attained an all time high level in Nigeria, hence should be regarded as an emergency at red alert level.

    “Drug in Nigeria should be declared as emergency in Nigeria, even ahead of terrorism. This is because terrorism is hugely fueled by drug abuse. A typical evidence of this is that huge amount of drugs like tramadol and the likes are usually found in all the Boko Haram camps that have been dislodged so far, which is an indication that most of them perpetrate the act of terrorism under influence of drugs.”

    To drive their resolution, the two agencies have agreed that there is an urgent need to form a joint task on drug abuse.

    They also agreed to make joint recommendations to the government on the need to empower them to perform optimally on the new threat that drug abuse overly poses to the country’s overall security.

    The latest move by the two agencies is coming on the heels of a recent visit by NAFDAC to the leadership of the Nigerian senate, and a follow up visit by the House of Representatives where the Senate President and members of the House stressed the need for improved funding for NAFDAC.