A total of 302 years in jail have been handed down to three kingpins and sixteen other offenders for their roles in the trafficking and distribution of illegal substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opiods.
This was reported in a statement yesterday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.
Babafemi stated that this happened after the agency dutifully prosecuted them after their arrest.
The Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja, found 414 drug traffickers and dealers guilty between July 1 and July 31, 2024. Of these, the 19 convicts are at the top of the list, according to the announcement.
According to the statement, this was based on accusations that the anti-drug agency had made against them.
According to Babafemi, one of the three kingpins, 50-year-old Bolanle Lookman Dauda, was apprehended by members of the special operation team in NDLEA at Ibiye, along the Lagos-Badagry Motorway, following an intelligence-led raid.
According to the spokesperson, on Saturday, May 25, 2024, Dauda was attempting to cross the land border to deliver the shipment in Ghana when he was apprehended.
“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilogrammes were found on him. A swift follow-up operation in his residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo Road, Agbara, Ogun State, led to the recovery of additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from him to 57.5 kilogrammes.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Hon. Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024. In his judgment delivered on 19th July 2024, Justice Allagoa convicted and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment or payment of an option of N30 million fine,” the statement reads.
According to the statement, the second kingpin who was put behind bars is 34-year-old Ikeh Stanley Ifeanyi who was detained at the famed Idumota market in Lagos Island.
It stated that a total of 1,100 ampoules weighing 6.480 kg of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl had been found on him.
“The dangerous opioid is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the US.
“He was later arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court Lagos in charge number FHC/L/433C/2024.
“Delivering his judgment on 4th July 2024, the trial judge convicted Ifeanyi on the two counts charge and sentenced him to 14 years in jail or an option of N2 million fine,” Babafemi said.
In the third case, he claimed, a Christian Anyanwu was apprehended on Saturday, November 26, 2022, with 1.4 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden within custard tins stuffed among food and cosmetics on a Qatar Airways flight headed for Brazil via Doha.
In line with the statement, on July 12, 2024, he was found guilty after being docked before Federal High Court Lagos Judge Yellin Bogoro.
According to the statement, Anyanwu was given a 16-year jail sentence, of which four are mandatory terms without the possibility of release from punishment.
The statement reads: “Others who bagged mandatory imprisonment in July for drug trafficking include: Moses Yakubu sentenced to 25 years in prison on 22nd July by Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court Abuja; Oluosun Okikiola who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail on 17th July by Justice A. A Okeke of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“In the same vein, Justice R.J Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State convicted and sentenced Chanchan Terpase to seven years in prison on 9th July while Justice C.O. Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Benin, Edo State convicted and sentenced Beauty Gani to 30 years in prison or payment of an option of N8 million fine on 3rd July 2024.
“While commending the officers and men of the various commands involved in the arrest and prosecution of the cases as well as the judiciary for speedy adjudication, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said the sentencing of the convicts will further give bite to the drug supply reduction efforts of the agency.”
