The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NDLEA

  • Man jailed 20 years for cocaine trafficking

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced a man, Ifenna Emmanuel, to 20 years imprisonment for attempting to export 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine to China.

    Justice John Tsoho convicted him on a one-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The convict was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on July 1, 2012 during outward clearance of passengers to China.

    He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on December 18, 2012, and was granted bail.

    However, he jumped bail, and refused to attend trial for about a year until he was re-arrested in Port Harcourt through the help of his brother who stood surety for him.

    His offence, NDLEA prosecutor Oigoga Ichakpa said, violated Section 11 (b) of the NDLEA Act of 2004.

    Justice Tsoho ordered that the $1,000 recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government should there be no appeal against the judgment within 90 days.

    He further directed that Emmanuel’s passport be withdrawn, and that all drugs recovered from him must be destroyed if the judgment is not appealed against.

    Justice Tsoho faulted a medical report that was tendered by the defence counsel to show that the convict was seriously ill and was suffering from severe abdominal pain.

    According to the judge, he had ordered the prison authorities to produce a medical report on Emmanuel’s health condition in June, but the order was not obeyed.

    “The prison has not complied with that order as to the medical reports,” he said, adding that it was curious for the same prison to issue a medical report to the defence at the point of judgment.

    The judge said the fact that the convict jumped bail, and was paid in dollars for the cocaine traficking, showed that he deserved no mercy despite claims that he has “a long standing history of severe upper abdominal pain.”

    He, therefore, sentenced Emmanuel to 20 years jail term, which he said would take effect from the day he was re-arrested.

  • N20b assets suit: Kashamu, NDLEA get new date

    N20b assets suit: Kashamu, NDLEA get new date

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos will on November 10 ‎rule on whether to disqualify himself from adjudicating a suit filed by Senator Buruji Kashamu.

    Kashamu is praying the court to restrain the Federal Government from seizing his property worth N20 billion over alleged drug trafficking offences.

    He sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) from taking possession of his property.

    Justice Buba had earlier restrained the NDLEA from arresting or extraditing Kashamu to the United States, where he is allegedly wanted.

    But NDLEA asked the judge to hands off the case.‎

    It said since Justice Buba, on June 23, reaffirmed a May 27 order by Justice Okon Abang of the same court stopping Kashamu’s arrest, he might not be fair in the case.

    The NDLEA lawyer, Mr. J. N. Sunday, who asked the court to vacate the restraining order, claimed the injunction amounted to preventing federal agencies from discharging their constitutional duties.

    NDLEA asked the judge to withdraw from the case on the basis that he might not reach a different conclusion in the fresh case having ruled in Kashamu’s favour before.

    According to the agency, the case file should be returned to the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for reassignment to another judge.

    Meanwhile, the AGF, represented by Mr. Oyin Koleosho filed a preliminary objection to the action.

    It said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit, which it described as a “tortuous act.” that does not fall within Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution.

    Kashamu said he learnt of moves by NDLEA and AGF to seize his property, including a 24-flat housing estate at Egbe and several hectares of land on Lekki Peninsula, Lagos.

    According to him, he acquired the property, which he said is worth N20billion, by dint of hard work and through his legitimate business.

    He said contrary to NDLEA’s alleged claim, the property were not proceeds of drug trafficking.

    Kashamu’s lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, said his client’s rights to own property as guaranteed by sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution would be breached if the respondents were not perpetually restrained.

    Due to Justice Buba’s absence on Tuesday, a new date was fixed by his registrars for the ruling.

  • Man bags 10 years imprisonment for drug trafficking 

    Man bags 10 years imprisonment for drug trafficking 

    A 38-year-old man, Chibueze Onedigbo, was jailed for 10 years Monday for drug trafficking.

    Justice Musa Kurya of the Federal High Court in Lagos found him guilty of the charge by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    “I am of the view that the prosecution has discharged its burden of proof.  Consequently, I hereby sentence the accused to 10 years imprisonment, from the day of this judgment,” the judge held.

    He said the drug exhibits must be destroyed within 30 days if there is no appeal.

    The convict was arraigned on August 29, 2013.

    He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail for N5 million with one surety in like sum.

    The agency said he was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

    About 210 grammes of Cocaine was recovered from him during the outward clearance of passengers on board a Qatar Airline flight.

    The convict had concealed the substance in a black leather bag, which contravened Section 11 (b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation, 2004.

  • Money-laundering: Court orders re-opening of frozen account by NDLEA

    Money-laundering: Court orders re-opening of frozen account by NDLEA

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos has ordered the re-opening of a bank account containing fifty eight million, five hundred thousand naira (N58, 500,000) suspected to be proceeds of drugs frozen by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The account was frozen with the consent of the Attorney General through the Solicitor General in accordance with the NDLEA Act.

    In his ruling on a fundamental right application against the NDLEA, Justice Yunusa ordered the re-opening of the account on the ground that there was no Attorney General at the moment.

    But the Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic Agency, Ahmadu Giade described the ruling as unacceptable and promised to appeal it.

    Giade said: “The true position is that narcotic investigations are incomplete until criminal wealth is traced and confiscated”.

    The NDLEA boss added that the support of the judiciary and other stakeholders remain vital to successful anti-money laundering campaign.

    The suspected drug baron, Chukwunwendu Ikejiakwu aka Blessed of Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State was charged to court by NDLEA on a 13- count charges involving manufacturing and production of methamphetamine as well as exportation of narcotic drugs, forming and operating a drug trafficking organisation among others.

    The agency freezed the account after securing interim forfeiture on his traced assets.

    It was gathered that while still in prison custody, Chukwunwendu arranged with his wife, Mrs. Ikejiakwu Christiana, to open an account in the name of the wife’s younger sister, Ifeoma Odili.

    Three days after the account was opened, the sister applied to the bank to make the suspect’s a signatory to the account.

    It was learnt that NDLEA got wind of the move and promptly freezed the account with the consent of the Attorney General through the Solicitor General.

  • NDLEA seizes 3,500kg hemp

    NDLEA seizes 3,500kg hemp

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ondo State Command, has seized 3,500 kg of Cannabis Sativa, also known as Indian hemp, in the last two months.

    State Commandant Muhammed Sokoto told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Akure that the command also destroyed 36 tonnes of the substance.

    Sokoto said the command arrested 11 suspects, including three women, and destroyed three Cannabis Sativa plantations.

    He said the arrests were made at various parts of the state; Owo, Ifon, Ile-Owo and Ogbese and Itaogbolu.

    The NDLEA boss said the command was collaborating with the Ondo State government to use the confiscated plantation for cocoa farming under its cocoa revolution initiative.

  • NDLEA warns against debit card smuggling

    NDLEA warns against debit card smuggling

    The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, has warned passengers smuggling Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards to desist from such act or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.

    The NDLEA boss gave the warning following the arrest at the weekend of two passengers with 89 debit cards at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

    Giade said the suspects conspired with others to evade scrutiny from government agencies by opening various bank accounts with the aim of using the debit cards for daily withdrawals abroad.

    He said, “This is a process of money laundering where multiple debit cards are used to withdraw money to circumvent the minimum amount of daily withdrawal. That criminal plan will not work because we shall continue to seize such cards and arrest the perpetrators at all entry and exit points,”

    The NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Mr. Ahmadu Garba, gave the names of the suspects as Nweke Pauline Osita (40) and Egesiokwu Frank Chukwudi (41).

    “We arrested Nweke Pauline Osita with 65 debit cards and Egesiokwu Frank Chukwudi with 24 debit cards during screening of passengers on an Ethiopian airline flight to China,” Garba stated.

  • NDLEA campaigns against drugs

    NDLEA campaigns against drugs

    As part of efforts to stop use of illicit drugs, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra State has organised a quiz competition for secondary schools in the Southeast.

    Opening the competition yesterday at the Prof. Kenneth Dike Library in Awka, state Commander Mr. Sule Momodu said the competition would help pupils to be fully engage in their studies.

    According to Momodu,  laptops, television sets and enrolment fees in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) would be won to further  motivate them in their studies.

    He said one of the objectives of the competition was to increase the knowledge on drug abuse and general studies, as well as encouraging drug-free clubs in schools.

    Commissioner for Education Prof. Kate Omenugha praised the agency’s initiative.

    Omenugha, who was represented by a school administrator, Mrs. Adaobi Okonkwo, urged the pupils to work harder to achieve their dreams.

  • New ways to launder cash, by NDLEA

    New ways to launder cash, by NDLEA

    The arrest at the weekend at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, of Udeh Onuora Pascal (34), with 108 Automated Teller Machines (ATM) debit cards may have opened a lead to the discovery of another means of money laundering.

    Udeh is suspected to be working for an international criminal organisation.

    It was learnt that security agencies attached to major international airports have discovered that passengers now launder huge sums of money abroad by loading money into unsuspecting  people’s accounts with the plan of pulling the cash out using debit cards on arrival at their destination .

    The new trick, according to officials of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is to beat the Customs and Immigration checks at the airport, which require them to declare any foreign currency in excess of $5,000.

    According to regulations, passengers are expected to fill certain forms at the airport if they are in possession of any foreign currency above the prescribed amount.

    The forms issued by Nigerian Customs Service, is to ensure that huge foreign currencies are documented by the service and relevant checks carried out on its owners before they leave the country.

    Spokesman of the NDLEA Mr. Mitchel Ofoyeju, said some passengers are now taking steps to beat existing regulations by using people’s accounts to launder money.

    He said the NDLEA and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have tightened security to prevent money laundering through the airports.

    The synergy, he said, may have pushed some passengers to think of ingenious ways to launder money by using credit cards obtained from people in whose account they have lodged huge sums of money.

    Udeh was attempting to board a Qatar Airline flight to China when he was arrested with the debit cards which belong to five commercial banks.

    The suspect, who was first transferred to the Assets and Financial Investigation Directorate of the Agency for investigation, has now been turned over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to Mrs. Victoria Egbase, the NDLEA director of assets and financial investigation department.

    The suspect, in his statement said he was asked to take the cards to China.

    “I am not the owner of the cards. I was told to take them to China and that somebody will collect them from me when I get there. I have a shop where I sell clothes at Onitsha main market. I am also a 300 level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State studying History and International Relations.

    “I never knew it would lead to my arrest,” said Udeh who hails from Obibi in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.

  • NDLEA arrests man with 108 ATM cards

    NDLEA arrests man with 108 ATM cards

    An attempt by a 34 year old man to smuggle 108 ATM debit  cards out of Nigeria has been thwarted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Udeh Onuora Pascal was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA),Ikeja, in the process of boarding a Qatar Airline flight to China.

    The APM cards were issued by five Nigerian banks.

    NDLEA officials said yesterday that the suspects might be working for an international criminal organization.

    NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said that suspect was arrested in connection with money laundering.

    He was handed over to the Assets and Financial Investigation Directorate of the Agency for investigation.

    Fifty eight of the ATM cards were issued by First City Monument Bank (FCMB), 23 belong to Stanbic IBC Bank while Zenith Bank has 19, Fidelity Bank 6 and Diamond Bank 2.

    Mrs. Victoria Egbase, the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation said that the Agency had established a prima facie case of financial crime against the suspect and that the Chairman had ordered the transfer of the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

    The suspect in his statement admitted that he is not the owner of the ATM cards and he was only asked to take them to China.

    “I am not the owner of the cards. I was told to take them to China and that somebody will collect them from me when I get there.”

    He claimed to be a trader at the Onitsha main market and also a 300 level History and International Relations student at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

    He said he “never knew it would lead to my arrest.”

    Udeh hails from Obibi in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Ahmadu Giade said : “This is a suspected money laundering case involving cash transfer with debit cards. The EFCC will carry out further investigation on the case. We must continue to work together as a united force against criminal syndicates.”

  • NDLEA arrests man with 108 ATM cards

    NDLEA arrests man with 108 ATM cards

    A 34 year old man, Udeh Onuora Pascal suspected to be working for an international criminal organization had been arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for being in possession of 108 automatic teller machine (ATM) debit cards.

    He was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos while attempting to board a Qatar Airline flight to China. The debit cards belong to five commercial banks.

    NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said that suspect was arrested in connection with suspected money laundering and was immediately transferred to the Assets and Financial Investigation Directorate of the Agency for investigation.

    Mrs. Victoria Egbase, the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation said that the Agency had established a prima facie case of financial crime against the suspect and that the Chairman had ordered the transfer of the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

    The suspect in his statement said that he was asked to take the cards to China.

    According to him, “I am not the owner of the cards. I was told to take them to China and that somebody will collect them from me when I get there. I have a shop where I sell clothes at Onitsha main market. I am also a 300 level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State studying History and International Relations. I never knew it would lead to my arrest”. Udeh hails from Obibi in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Ahmadu Giade said that the case should be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation.

    “This is a suspected money laundering case involving cash transfer with debit cards. The EFCC will carry out further investigation on the case. We must continue to work together as a united force against criminal syndicates” Giade stated.