Crime
3 kingpins, 16 other convicts bag 302 years jail term for drug trafficking
3 kingpins, 16 other convicts bag 302 years jail term for drug trafficking
By: Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained a total of 302 years imprisonment for three kingpins and 16 other offenders for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids.
A statement on Friday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said 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 between July 1st – 31st 2024 based on charges filed against them by the NDLEA.
According to him, one of the three kingpins, 50-year-old Bolanle Dauda was arrested in an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry expressway while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on Saturday 25th May 2024.
Babafemi said at the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilogrammes were found on him, adding that 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 10 kilogrammes, 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, and was convicted and sentenced on 19th July 2024 to 21 years imprisonment or payment of an option of N30 million fine.
Another kingpin that 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 6.48 kilogrammes were recovered from him.
According to Babafemi, 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 nonfatal overdoses in the United States.
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.
In his own case, Christian Anyanwu was arrested on Saturday 26th November, 2022 with 1.4 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight. He was subsequently docked before Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos, and later convicted on 12th July 2024. 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.
Babafemi revealed that 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 N8million fine on 3rd July 2024.
Meanwhile, 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. Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the sentencing of the convicts will further give bite to the drug supply reduction efforts of the agency.
3 kingpins, 16 other convicts bag 302 years jail term for drug trafficking
Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected bandits on Sunday attacked Hybrid Force camp in Oke Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara, killing 12 people.
Zagazola learnt that the attack occurred at about 8:50 a.m. when the gunmen stormed the community.
Troops from a patrol base in Babanla were immediately mobilised to the scene, but the attackers fled before their arrival.
A search of the area by the troops led to the discovery of 12 lifeless bodies comprising nine vigilantes and three civilians killed during the attack.
The corpses of the deceased were evacuated to Oke Ode Police Station while troops restored calm in the area.
The source said the general security situation in the area remained calm but unpredictable.
Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack
Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Boko Haram Insurgents have again attacked Kirawa a border community in Borno state killing a civilian joint task force (CJTF) member and wounding several others in the process.
The Boko Haram insurgents ambushed the commuters driving into Kirawa a community in Bama council area and killed the CJTF in the process.
To punish some of the commuters further for fleeing away from the scene of the ambush, the insurgents burned down some of their vehicles before returning into the bush unchallenged.
After the attack died down, some motorists and passengers who sustained different degrees of injuries were treated in nearby clinics.
Sources revealed that trouble started when six vehicles loaded with food items and other luggages were ambushed and set ablaze by the insurgents along the Pulka-Kirawa road on Friday last week.
Senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ndume reacting to the incident called on the military authorities to deploy more troops to safeguard the entire communities around Gwoza council area and Cameroun.
There is only one forward military base (FOB) in Kirawa and it is dominated by the Multi national joint task force MNJTF of mostly Camerounian troops mandated to pin down kirawa on both sides of the divides of the two countries.
A lot of the Intel policing of the community is done by CJTF even as families are still awaiting the rescue of a schoolgirl, Aisha Muhammad that was kidnapped by the insurgents a month ago when this very base was overrun leaving sorrow tears and blood in the community.
Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation
Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta
By: Zagazola Makama
The Police Command in Delta has commenced investigation into the gruesome murder of Pastor Oputeh Monday, aged 59, who was killed by unknown assailants in Umuebu community, Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.
Sources said that the case was reported by the deceased’s son, Oputeh Joshua, aged 26, who told police that his father had left home early for his farm along Amai/Umuebu farm road and instructed them to meet him later with a motorcycle.
“On their way, they heard gunshots and rushed into the bush where they discovered the lifeless body of their father lying on the ground with his head chopped off.
“Detectives from Obiaruku Division visited the scene of the crime and evacuated the corpse to Medisar Mortuary, Obiaruku, for preservation and autopsy,” the sources said.
The sources that preliminary investigation had commenced, while confidence-building patrols were ongoing in the affected area.
Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta
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