The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NDLEA

  • NDLEA has no role in extradition proceedings, says Kashamu’s counsel

    NDLEA has no role in extradition proceedings, says Kashamu’s counsel

    COUNSEL to the senator representing Ogun-East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu, Prince Ajibola Oluyede, has explained that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has no role to play in the institution of extradition proceedings according to the nation’s Extradition Act. Speaking against the backdrop of an NDLEA report on the proceedings in the committal application before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over Senator Kashamu, the legal practitioner averred that the writers of the report are clearly up to some mischief.

    The report, credited to the NDLEA, was allegedly made in response to a committal application brought against it by Senator Kashamu for continuing to plan illegal rendition attempts against him. The NDLEA in a counter-affidavit filed before the Court in Abuja to oppose the contempt proceedings initiated by Kashamu against the agency and other respondents, said it is not true that the court had perpetually restrained the Federal Government from extraditing him to the United States of America to face drugs-related charges.

    Prior to this counter-affidavit, a dismissal of the extradition application made by the Attorney- General of the Federation in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/49/2015, the judgment against NDLEA and others in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/508/2015, had been made forbidding the NDLEA from any cooperation with foreign agents to forcefully abduct Senator Kashamu. According to Oluyede, ‘’It is the exclusive preserve of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to initiate extradition processes after receiving a valid request from a treaty bound country against any person resident in Nigeria.

    “The AGF is the only person who may decide which law enforcement agency to use to execute a warrant duly obtained from the Federal High Court for that purpose and even in drugrelated cases it does not have to be NDLEA. “Such a warrant cannot be obtained clandestinely but in the course of proceedings already commenced before the Federal High Court. In many cases, the court would not make such a warrant when the subject is a public officer of the standing of a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but would merely issue a summons for his to appear by himself in the court.”

    He explained further that, “The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has himself admitted that he is bound by the decision of the court dismissing the extradition proceedings it brought against Senator Kashamu and cannot take further steps against him. Indeed, the Attorney-General of the Federation denied being involved in any further attempts against Senator Kashamu as alleged in the committal proceedings brought by the Senator.

    I wonder why the writer did not major on the affidavit filed for the AGF in the proceedings instead of that of the NDLEA.” While stating that the overzealousness of the NDLEA and its continued threatening against Senator Kashamu should be seen by right minded persons as most unbecoming, irrational and evil, Oluyede said the idea being sold by the mischievous writer is that the universally berated and deplored invasion of Senator Kashamu’s house in May 2015 was part of a legal extradition process. No right minded person will ever buy that nonsense any more.

  • NDLEA faults Kashamu’s claim on extradition

    NDLEA faults Kashamu’s claim on extradition

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has faulted claim by Senator Buruji Kashamu that the agency and two others have violated an injunction forbidding his extradition to the United States over alleged drugs related offences.

    The NDLEA argued that there was no time it was restrained by any court from arresting or extraditing Kashamu.

    The agency’s position was contained in a counter-affidavit filed against a motion for committal proceedings against NDLEA, its former Chairman, Ahmadu Giade and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Kashamu had claimed that Giade, the NDLEA and AGF were plotting to abduct and extradite him to the U.S despite orders against such extradition by a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.

    NDLEA argued that the Lagos court only ordered in its 2010 ruling that any plan to extradite Kashamu by the AGF and the NDLEA to the U.S must be in compliance with the extradition Act, 2004.

    The agency said it was not a respondent to a suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/479/2015 which Kashamu alleged was disobeyed and which sought to commit it and its chairman for contempt.

    The NDLEA, however, said that in another suit by Kashamu with No. FHC/L/CS/49/2010 in which it was joined as a defendant, it raised a preliminary objection that the person sued as “Chairman of Nigeria Law Enforcement Agency was a party unknown to Law.”

     

  • NDLEA nabs three drug peddlers in Kano, convicts 302

    NDLEA nabs three drug peddlers in Kano, convicts 302

    The Kano State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Hamza Umar, yesterday said his men arrested three Nigerian youths, who were making arrangements to travel to Malaysia with 56.6kg of methamphetamine neatly concealed in cartons through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

    Speaking to reporters in his office, Umar identified the drug couriers as Joseph Obiajulu Nwaigbo, Jude Nwaigbo and Thankgod Anyika.

    He also hinted that NDLEA discovered about seven clandestine laboratories, where the deadly Metamphetamine drugs are being produced in Lagos and the Eastern parts of the country, adding that foreign drug dealers collaborate with some unpatriotic Nigerians in the illicit drug business.

    He said “It is pertinent to note that where this substance cannot leave this country, it would be consumed here. We thank God they were apprehended and are currently under investigations, including their sources and sponsors.”

    The NDLEA boss used the forum to highlight activities of the Command since January this year in terms of arrests, seizures, prosecution, counseling and rehabilitation of youths, whose lives and future are being destroyed for their engagement in consumption of hard and illicit drugs.

    He revealed that within the period under review, the Command arrested 761 suspects, 2,822.913kg of cannabis, 34,971.418kg of psychotropic substances, 118.1grammes of cocaine, 7 grammes of heroine, 41.8kg of metamphetamine, 24.8kg of ephedrine.

    Umar added that the Command prosecuted 299 male suspects and three female suspects, while 662 drug addicts were counseled and rehabilitated.

    He also commended the support of Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje, sister security agencies and the public just, as he promised to continue to clampdown on drug barons, couriers and abusers in the state

  • NDLEA investigates officers with links to drug dealers

    NDLEA investigates officers with links to drug dealers

    SOME operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are under investigation for alleged fraternity with suspected drug syndicates.
    The Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) disclosed this while addressing officers at the national headquarters, Ikoyi Lagos at the weekend.
    He warned the agency has beamed its searchlight inwards in the anti-narcotics campaign, stressing any officer who engages in acts of compromise and fraternity with drug barons shall be made to face the full weight of the law.
    Abdallah added he is working very hard in building an agency with zero tolerance for corruption through strict law enforcement.
    He assured the outcome of investigation shall be made public.

  • Kashamu must justify allegation against AGF, NDLEA, says court

    Kashamu must justify allegation against AGF, NDLEA, says court

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has asked Senator Buruji Kashamu to justify the contempt allegation  he made against the minister of Justice and federal attorney general (AGF) as well as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following alleged fresh moves to abduct him and ship him to the United States  (US) to face illicit drugs related offence trial.

    Kashamu had filed a motion, accusing the AGF and NDLEA of being in contempt of the court’s ruling of July 1, 2015, dismissing an extradition application filed by former AGF, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), by allegedly making fresh moves to arrest him and extradite him.

    Adoke filed the application on May 28, 2015, upon an alleged request by the U.S. asking Nigeria to submit Kashamu for extradition.

    In a ruling on July 1, 2015, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that his court had no jurisdiction to hear the suit following subsisting orders and judgments restraining the NDLEA and AGF from entertaining any extradition request from the US against Kashamu.

    The court said Kashamu had been exonerated by two British court judgments.

    Justice Kolawole noted that the subsisting judgments and orders of the British and Nigerian courts had not been appealed or set aside by an appellate court.

    When parties returned to court on October 26, Justice Kolawole asked Kashamu’s lawyer C. I. Ndukwe to justify his claim that the NDLEA and AGF were in contempt of any court order.

    The judge noted that his ruling of July 1, 2015, did not include any injunctive order, which could be breached. He said he was not convinced the alleged contemnors were in contempt.

    Justice Kolawole noted that contempt proceedings, being a quasi-criminal one, require the presence of the alleged contemnors in court during proceedings. He said the court needed to be convinced the AGF and NDLEA were in contempt before they could be summoned to attend proceedings.

    The judge said if the AGF and NDLEA were taking fresh steps to arrest Kashamu and extradite him, the proper option opened to him (Kashamu) was to file a fresh suit.

    Justice Kolawole fixed December 15 to hear Kashamu’s lawyer and NDLEA’s objection.

  • Why NDLEA Act must be amended, by Ashafa

    Why NDLEA Act must be amended, by Ashafa

    Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa has advocated the amendment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to provide for harsh punishment for traffickers.

    Ashafa, who chairs the Senate Committee on Land Transport, noted that arbitrary application of the law by judges would not serve any purpose.

    In his lead debate on a bill to amend the Act, Ashafa said: “The arbitrariness that is being perpetrated by the trial judges by not following the NDLEA Act can lead to corrupt practices. As a matter of fact, it only encourages illicit drug practices

    “The Act specifically stipulates the maximum sentence of life imprisonment and minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment for the above-mentioned offences. There is nowhere in the provisions of the NDLEA Act that gives to the judges discretionary power to reduce the minimum sentence stipulated in the Act.

    “However, rather than a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years or maximum term of imprisonment for life as stipulated in the Act, for some unknown reasons, some judges of the Federal High Court have continued to pass varied/discretionary sentences short of what is prescribed by the NDLEA Act.

    “As the news of these light sentences spread, more people are encouraged to go into the drug trade, hence the phenomenal rise in the number of youths engaged in the illicit abuse of narcotic substances and of course this also contributes to the negative image of our country in the international community.”

    He said the act when amended would make it mandatory for judges to apply the penalties as stipulated.

    Ashafa proposes that the the word ‘heroin’ wrongly spelt in the principal Act as ‘heroine’ be corrected and the fine for those obstructing the agency from discharging its statutory duty raised from N20,000 to N100,000.

    He cited cases in which the Federal High Court found persons guilty of an offence under the act but imposed lesser sentences in clear disregard of the law.

    “Worse still is the fact that when some of the judges pass these light terms of imprisonment, the convicts in some cases are further given option of fine which is only available for those found guilty of obstruction of the agency or authorised officers, not for actual perpetuators of the offence.

    “The purpose of the stiff punishment provided by the Act is to deter people from engaging in drug related activities. Where a person caught with cocaine is sentenced to few months’ imprisonment or given an option to pay a fine as can be seen in certain cases, one wonders what signal the country is sending to drug dealers and traffickers, their countries, our youths and the international community.

    “This is the kind of problem created as many people believe that even if they are caught and sentenced to Jail, they will be out in no time. The deterrent nature of the punishment, which the NDLEA Act seeks to provide, is therefore defeated.

    “You may have noticed that there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of drug couriers apprehended at our airports, this is a direct consequence of these illegal unholy sentences adopted by some judges.

    “The government or NDLEA could appeal these obvious cases of unwholesomeness being perpetrated by these Judges, but the process is very long, tedious and expensive as the cases go right up to the Supreme Court meaning that they could take up to 7 to 10 years for final adjudication.

    “The proposed amendment will close any loophole by having a clear, unambiguous and unequivocal provision that Judges cannot vary the sentences provided by the Act by reducing the penalties or giving option of fines which the NDLEA Act has not provided.”

  • NDLEA intercepts 325,640 Euros, $30,000 cash at Lagos Airport

    NDLEA intercepts 325,640 Euros, $30,000 cash at Lagos Airport

    Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 325,640 Euros and $30,000 (About N175m) in cash about to be smuggled into the country from Greece and Austria.

    The cash, concealed inside envelopes and shoes, was seized at the Murtalla Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos during the screening of passengers on a Turkish Airline flight.Two suspects were arrested.

    NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said Edos Nicholas was found in possession of 279,190 euros and Hallowell Prince Lovely was found in possession of €46,450 euros and 30,000 dollars.

    Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) directed the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation of the Agency, Mrs Victoria Egbase, to take over the investigation.

    Abdallah said:  “This is a suspected case of money laundering. Criminal groups seek to conceal the origin of illegally obtained money. It is pertinent therefore for us to trace the origin of the money and prevent the introduction of criminal funds into the economy. Consequently, I have directed that the case be meticulously investigated”.

    Preliminary investigation revealed that both suspects were frequent travellers who are the target of International Drug Trafficking Organisations.

    It was learnt that Edos, who claimed to be working in a bakery in Austria said the money was given to him. “The money does not belong to me. It was given by different people in Europe to give to their relatives. I have been living in Vienna, Austria for over 15 years.”

    Hallowell reportedly claimed that the money belonged to people and that he was asked to deliver same to the recipients in Nigeria. “I live in Athens and I work in an African shop. I have lived there for 12 years. The money belongs to many people and some of them are my friends” he stated.

  • NDLEA arrests suspects with N2.5b worth of drugs

    NDLEA arrests suspects with N2.5b worth of drugs

    The Cross River State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it has arrested two suspected drug barons on Yahe-Ikom Trans International Highway.

    It said the suspects were nabbed for  possessing  76.050  kilogrammes of Methamphetamine and 100.1 kilogrammes of Ephedrine, worth N2.5 billion.

    The Commander, Mrs. Anthonia Edeh, told reporters in Calabar yesterday that the suspects, Mr. Azuka Emmanuel, 55 and Ndubuisi Okafor, 23, were caught in a commercial bus with the drugs.

    She said NDLEA operatives on stop-and-search recovered the drugs concealed in a cereal pack, while the Ephedrine was found inside foodstuff packs and five industrial fillers.

    Edeh reiterated the command’s commitment to rid the state of drugs. She hailed the officials.

    The commander solicited the cooperation of the public to fight drug dealers.

    She urged the people to be mindful of Methamphetamine, which she described as harmful.

    Mrs. Edeh enjoined the government to assist it in logistics, to enable it traverse the nooks and crannies.

    She said the suspects would be arraigned at the Federal High Court as soon as investigations were concluded.

     

  • NDLEA seizes cocaine, cannabis-noodles to China

    …suspects blame exchange rate, recession

     

     

    Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu have foiled a plot by a suspected drug trafficker to use innocent passengers to smuggle cannabis concealed in noodles to China.

     

     

    A clearing and forwarding agent who ingested seventy-four (74) wraps of cocaine was also arrested while attempting to board an Ethiopian airline flight to China.

     

    Both suspects have attributed their involvement in drug trafficking to high exchange rate and economic recession.

     

    The Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah called on members of the public particularly passengers not to collect consignments from people.

     

     

    “This is a plot by suspected drug traffickers to use innocent passengers in smuggling drugs. Some persons may have fallen into this wicked plot if not for the timely intervention of the Agency.

     

     

    “It is instructive that people be aware of this trick because what they consider as an assistance may just send them to prison or early graves. This is because drug trafficking is punishable by death in China” Abdallah stated.

     

    Abdallah added that passengers must exercise caution in accepting bags from people.

     

     

    “To an average passenger, the suspected bag contained noodles but during search operations, the packs of noodles turned out to be cannabis. In the past, we have recovered drugs hidden inside books, parcels and even letters. It is important therefore that members of the public must act with utmost caution and avoid acts that could turn them into drug traffickers”.

     

    NDLEA commander at the Enugu airport, Adeofe Adeyemi gave the names of the suspects as Adibe Wisdom Baloba, 47, and Esonwunne Onyechi Benson, 31.

    “Adibe was caught during outward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian airline flight to China. He was found to have ingested 74 wraps of substance that tested positive for cocaine with a weight of 1.417kgs.

     

     

    The second suspect Esonwunne was caught attempting to send a luggage containing cannabis to China through an unsuspecting passenger. The cannabis was carefully prepared inside packs of noodles to avoid detection. Investigating officers are working very hard on the cases and the suspects will soon be charged to court” Adeofe stated.

     

    Meanwhile, preliminary investigation revealed that Esonwunne was twice deported from China in 2008 and May 2016 on immigration related offences.

     

    Esonwunne Onyechi Benson during interrogation blamed his involvement on economic recession. “I am a trader but due to the economic downturn I decided to smuggle cannabis to China. I concealed the drug neatly in packs of noodles because cannabis is expensive there. I was waiting for a passenger that will assist me in sending the bag of cannabis to China when NDLEA officers arrested me” he stated.

     

    Adibe who is a father of five children said that he accepted five thousand dollars to smuggle cocaine to China. “I am a clearing and forwarding agent but financial hardship and bad economy forced me into drug trafficking. The exchange rate is very high and I hardly get money to take care of my family. My sponsor promised to pay me the sum of five thousand dollars to take the drug to China. In the process of boarding the aircraft, I was arrested by NDLEA officers” he stated.

  • Cleric arraigned for drug trafficking

    A 60-year-old man, Raji Michael Ayoola, who claims to be a pastor, has been arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos for attempting to export banned narcotics.

    The National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said he conspired with others to unlawfully export 91 kilograms of Methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance, and 83 kilograms of Ephedrine, a controlled substance.

    Ayoola was arrested by the agency’s operatives last February 10 while attempting to export the substances to South Africa.

    Prosecution counsel, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, said the drugs were similar to cocaine and heroin in effect.

    The alleged offence is punishable under sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the NDLEA Law of 2004.

    Ayoola, a father of six, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    During trial on Wednesday, a forensic expert, Mr. A.  Anadianei said he tested the powdery substances and confirmed they were banned narcotics.

    The prosecution tendered Ayoola’s international and ECOWAS passports, six big bags containing the substances, a certificate of test analysis, all of which were admitted as exhibits.

    Justice Jude Dagat adjourned till November 18 and 24 for continuation of trial.