Nine Ghanaians arrested for attempting to smuggle 10,843.95kgs cannabis into Nigeria through the seaport have been convicted and sentenced to 72 years imprisonment.
Delivering his ruling in the matter, Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos, convicted the Ghanaians of conspiracy and dealing in cannabis and thereafter sentenced each of them to eight years in prison.
The convicts include: Victor Wuddah; Freeman Gazul; Adotete Joseph; Sottie Moses; Sottie Stephen; Christian Tette; Kanu Okonipa; Daniel Koyepti; and Kanu Natte.
They were initially arrested by men of the Civil Defence Corps and transferred to NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.
At the conclusion of investigations, they were arraigned in charge number FHC/L/292C/2021.
Similarly, a pregnant woman and a nursing mother have been arrested with 9,437.6kilogrammes of cannabis and 138,053 tablets of pharmaceutical opioids, among others, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during interdiction operations in the country.
The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, made this known via a statement issued, yesterday.
Babafemi disclosed that the suspects were arrested in Yobe, Ondo, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kwara states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The NDLEA spokesperson disclosed that the anti-drug agency operatives, last Saturday, stormed Chukuku village, which is about 10 kilometres from Gwagwalada, and raided a large cannabis warehouse.
He noted that a total of 510 jumbo bags of the illicit substance weighing 5, 640kgs were recovered from the store and a nursing mother in charge, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, 35, was arrested.
He stated that in Yobe State, the NDLEA operatives intercepted 48kgs of cannabis in BuniYadi, adding that they also raided a location in Potiskum where they recovered 56 blocks (31kgs) from two suspects, Mohammed Mamuda, and a married pregnant woman, Hauwa Haruna.
Babafemi further revealed that no fewer than 99 bags of cannabis and three bags of its seeds weighing 1,286kgs were seized on Thursday when the operatives of the anti-narcotics agency raided a location in Ogbese area of Ondo State.
The NDLEA spokesman noted that another raid at Umukpe forest in Uhunmonde council area of Edo State led to the seizure of 410kgs of the same substance in addition to a motorcycle, two dane guns, and the arrest of two suspects, NumgaAnim, aged 30, and 50-year-old Friday Ebije.
“Not less than 50 bags of C/S weighing 623kgs were also recovered at Ekpom village in Igueben LGA with the arrest of the owner, Lucky Henry, 30, while another suspect, Ndidi Esegine, 52, was nabbed at Ugbodo forest, Ovia North East LGA with 266.8kgs C/S on Tuesday, October 11.
“Two days later, operatives stormed Uzebba forest in Owan West LGA to destroy four cannabis farms where two suspects: Ezekiel Raphael and Gideon Bassey were arrested with a total of 223.5kgs processed C/S recovered,” he added.
Babafemi stated that a stop and search operation along the East/West Road in Ahoada area of Rivers State led to the recovery of 251.4kgs of C/S in a gold colour Toyota Sienna bus with Reg No – Abuja YAB 70 BR, noting that a suspect, Segun Ajayi, was arrested, while 161.4kgs were equally recovered from an ash colour Toyota Camry saloon car with Reg No- Abuja RBC 590 BQ.
“In Akwa Ibom State, attempt by a trans-border trafficker, Edet Osu James, 44, to export 2.4kgs cocaine concealed in two large tins of powdered milk to Cameroon was foiled by officers of the Marine unit of the Agency on Thursday, October 13 during an outward clearance of vessels going to Cameroon from Oron.
“In Imo State, no fewer than 10,690 pills of tramadol were intercepted during stop and search operations along Owerri-Onitsha road with three suspects: Saadu Usman; Godwin Emeka and Emeka Obijihe arrested in follow-up efforts on Thursday, October 13,” the NDLEA spokesperson disclosed.
He added that Obijihe was already standing trial for a similar offence for which he was arrested on May 9, 2022, and was on court bail when he was re-arrested, last Thursday, for trafficking 6.5kgs of tramadol.
“In Jigawa State, operatives recovered 67,300 pills of exol-5 and tramadol at Dansure/Roni junction while in Kogi State, a total of 46,100 pills of the same opioids were seized along Okene-Abuja highway both on Thursday, October 13.
“At least, six suspects were arrested at a notorious drug location in Ngurore town, Adamawa State with a total of 495kgs cannabis seized in addition to different quantities of opioids. Suspects arrested include Chidi Titus, Vincent Donatus, Badishi Bitrus, AbubakarInuwa, Abdul A. Abdul, and Inuwa Ado Isa.
“At least, 5,480 pills of tramadol were seized from two suspects: Dalhatu Salisu and HamisuIshaq, who were arrested on Wednesday, October 12 by operatives along Abuja-Kaduna express road, while a total of 3,800 bottles of new psychoactive substance, Akuskura and 7,760 tablets of tramadol were recovered from five suspects along Ilorin-Jebba highway.
“Four of the suspects: Idris Nadir, 38; Suleiman Muhammed, 68; Babangida Zaki, 30 and Yahaya Lawal claimed they were coming from Ibadan, Oyo State, and taking the Akuskura to Katsina, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi. The fifth suspect, NafiuIdris, who was arrested with the tramadol pills said he was taking them to Kankara in Katsina State,” Babafemi said.
While commending the officers of the anti-narcotics agency for their efforts at drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), charged them and their counterparts across other commands not to rest on their oars.