The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired , Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa says imprisonment will strengthen deterrent effect of the agency’s drug supply reduction efforts.
Marwa said this while reacting to the sentencing of three kingpins and 16 other convicts who were jailed for a total of 302 years for drug trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Friday in Abuja.
The convicts were jailed for dealing in cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids said thier sentencing came following their arrest and diligent prosecution by the agency.
He said that the 19 convicts top the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.
This, he said was between July 1 and July 31, adding that it was based on charge filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.
“One of the three kingpins, 50-year-old Lookman Dauda was arrested during an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry expressway.
“This was done while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on May 25.
“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kg kwere 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 57.5kg.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024.
” In his judgment delivered on July 19, Justice Allagoa convicted and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment or payment of an option of N30million fine, “he said.
In the same vein, another kingpin who was put behind bars is 34-year-old Ikeh Ifeanyi who was arrested at the popular Idumota market in Lagos Island, where no fewer than 1,100 ampoules of lethal synthetic opioid, fentanyl, weighing 6.480kg were recovered from him.
Marwa said that the dangerous opioid was 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70 per cent overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal 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 July 4, the trial judge convicted Ifeanyi on the two counts charge and sentenced him to 14 years in jail or an option of N2million fine,”he said.
In his own case, Christian Anyanwu was arrested on Saturday November, 26 with 1.4kg of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
Marwa said that the suspect was subsequently docked before Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos, and later convicted on July 12.
“In his ruling, the trial judge sentenced Anyanwu to 16 years in jail, four of which is a mandatory imprisonment without an option of fine.
“Others who bagged mandatory imprisonment in July for drug trafficking include: Moses Yakubu sentenced to 25 years in prison on July 22 by Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court Abuja.
“Oluosun Okikiola who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail on July 17 by Justice A. A Okeke of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun state, “he said.
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 July 9.
Also, 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 N8million fine on July 3.
Marwa commended 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.