Cocaine trafficking: Two notorious drug kingpins sentenced to life imprisonment

By: Michael Mike

Two notorious drug kingpins: Uwaezuoke Ikenna and Agbo Chidike have been sentenced to life imprisonments for drug trafficking offenses.

According to a statement by the spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi the two criminals would now spend the rest of their lives in jail, “bringing an end to their years of criminal enterprise of exporting cocaine across continents following their arrest and diligent prosecution by NDLEA.”

Babafemi said for 43-year-old businessman Uwaezuoke, his journey to a lifetime in jail began when he was first arrested by NDLEA operatives on 19th March 2022 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after he was found to have ingested 100 big wraps of cocaine weighing 2.243 kilogrammes.

Uwaezuoke was subsequently arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022 and was granted bail on certain conditions after he pleaded not guilty. He thereafter absconded, leading the court to revoke his bail and issue an arrest warrant against him.

“In a curious twist, Uwaezuoke was again arrested by NDLEA operatives on 1st August 2023, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos while attempting to export 1.822 kilogrammes of cocaine to India through ingestion using a different passport and under a different name, Ilonzeh Onyebuchi.

“He was again arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division in charge number FHC/L/554C/2023. He pleaded guilty to the two counts charge and was convicted and sentenced on 18th October 2023 to a total term of seven years of imprisonment or a fine of ₦1, 500,000.00. He paid the fine and was transferred to Abuja to face the importation case pending against him.

“He was re-arraigned on 20th March 2024 at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022 before Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik, where he pleaded guilty again. Despite his plea, the court, noting his lack of remorse, the seriousness of drug-related offences and the fact that he is a repeated offender, convicted and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
In the case of 42-year-old Agbo Chidike Prince, he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight to Hong Kong on 21st October 2023 for ingesting 49 wraps of cocaine weighing 998.73 grammes.

“Upon his arraignment before Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, the defendant pleaded guilty to the one count charge, prompting the prosecution to present evidence and review the facts of the case.
Despite the plea of allocutus by the defendant’s counsel, the court, noting the nature of the case and the commercial quantity of the drug, emphasized the seriousness of drug-related offences, convicted and sentenced the defendant on 15th April, 2024 to life imprisonment.”

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers at the Gate C Departure Hall of the Lagos airport last Friday arrested a passenger, Yahaya Oturah, while attempting to export 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg to Malpensa, Italy on an Ethiopian Airline flight.

The psychoactive substance was found concealed in women wears and granulated melon packed in the suspect’s backpack and another bag containing food items. In his statement, Oturah who is a frequent flyer confessed he was hired to courier the drug for 700 Euros on successful delivery of the consignment in Italy.

In Bayelsa, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday arrested 28-year-old Jennifer Iliya at Amarata area of Yenagoa for producing and distributing cakes laced with illicit drugs especially cannabis sativa. At the time of her arrest, substantial number of the drugged cakes weighing 1.5 kilogrammes were recovered from her. A 20-year-old hair stylist, Josephine Odunu and a dispatch rider, Edesemi Ikporo, 30, had been arrested on Sunday 10th March by NDLEA operatives for in Yenagoa for a similar offence.

Two suspects: Joseph Dadik, 47, and Bensha Yari, 32, were arrested with 24,180 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 135.5 kilogrammes at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, while Adamu Umar, 18, was nabbed with 20.7 kilogrammes cannabis when his house in Shuware area of Mubi, Adamawa state was raided on Friday 26th April.

In another incident, no less than 310.7 kilogrammes cannabis was recovered last Thursday when NDLEA operatives raided parts of Mushin in Lagos state. While 300 kilogrammes was seized at Olatunji Street, Mushin, 10.7 kilogrammes of same substance was retrieved from two suspects: Tijani Wasiu and Suleiman Aisha
at Anifowose, Mushin.

A suspect, Stanley Chukwudi, 43, was arrested with 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection at Sabon Gari area of Kano State last Thursday and a couple, Fredrick Odion, 53, and Gladys Odion, 52, were nabbed with 50 kilogrammes cannabis at Iruekpen, Esan West local government area, Edo state by NDLEA officers last Wednesday.

Babafemi said with the same zeal, the various commands of the agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign in the past week.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), while commending the officers and men of the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services of the Agency for the diligent prosecution of Uwazuoke and Agbo cases, said the success rate of cases prosecuted by the agency has shown that there’s no escape route for those involved in the illicit trade of drug trafficking.

He equally applauded those of MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Edo, Adamawa and Bayelsa Commands as well as their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their drug supply and drug demand reduction activities.

Cocaine trafficking: Two notorious drug kingpins sentenced to life imprisonment

Four Chinese Arrested for Illegal Mining
in Nasarawa

By: Michael Mike

Four Chinese have been arrested by the Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at an illegal mining site where Lithium is sold at Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

A statement on Saturday by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi read that: “Following the Commissioning of some specially trained NSCDC Personnel as Federal Government Mining Marshals; the Team has intensified efforts to clamp down on illegal miners sabotaging the economy of the nation.

“The Mining Marshall with a renewed vigour swung into action following credible intelligence and uncovered an illegal mining site where Lithium is sold at Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

“During the sting operation, the Squad arrested four (4) Chinese nationals who through preliminary investigation admitted that they were running an illegal site used for selling lithium.”

The spokesman said: “While speaking with the Mining Marshall Commander; ACC. Attah John Onoja hinted that the minerals were seized under section 146 (b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 and that the arrest followed the suspect’s refusal to honour the command invitation for questioning.”

He added that an application would be lodged in Court for forfeiture of the impounded lithium minerals while the proceeds would be remitted to the Federal Government.

He said preliminary investigations have unearthed where the minerals were being disposed of without the required license.

He said: “The arrested suspects have confessed to the crime; admitting that they held no certificate or license to deal in the solid minerals. The suspects are running a business venture identified as HOSAN AGRO-ALLIED COMPANY LTD which was registered to deal in agricultural-related activities.

The Federal had vowed to stamp out illegal mining activities across the country and to end the menace of mineral theft plaguing the Solid Minerals sector of the nation’s economy.

Meanwhile, the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi has charged the Mining Marshals to work assiduously to rid the Country of illegal miners. He added that in pursuit of this mandate, the Corps will stop at nothing to ensure that all illegal mining activities are stopped nationwide, while perpetrators would be brought to book after a thorough investigation under the full weight of the law, no matter how highly placed.

Four Chinese Arrested for Illegal Mining
in Nasarawa

Army, DSS eliminates 7 terrorists in the North West, recover 10 rifles, motorcycles

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, in conjunction with the operative of the Department of State Security Services(DSS), have nutrialsied 7 terrorists in the North West of Madachi in Isa LGA.

The terrorists were naturalized on Friday at about 251720A while responding to a distress call about the movement of the bandits on 40 motorcycles toward the Modachi general area.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops eliminated 7 of the bandits while others escaped with bullet wounds toward the axis of Shinkafi.

Items recovered include 7 ak47 rifles, 4 motorcycles, 2 pounds and 4 cutlases.

The interagency cooperation between the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as exemplified in the conduct of this operation is a testament to the strength of our collective resolve to defeat insurgency and other security challenges.

Army, DSS eliminates 7 terrorists in the North West, recover 10 rifles, motorcycles