metro

Drug trafficking: Three kingpins, 16 others jailed 302 years

Published

1 month ago

August 17, 2024

Drug trafficking: Three kingpins, 16 others jailed 302 years

Three kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 302 years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids.

Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement yesterday.

Babafemi said this followed their arrest and diligent prosecution by the agency.

According to the statement, 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 1 and 31, 2024.

This, the statement indicated, was based on charges filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.

Babafemi said one of the three kingpins, 50-year-old Bolanle Lookman Dauda, was arrested in an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

The spokesman said Dauda was trying to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on Saturday 25th May, 2024 before he was nabbed.

“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.

READ ALSO:

According to the statement, the second kingpin who was put behind bars is 34-year-old Ikeh Stanley Ifeanyi who was arrested at the popular Idumota market in Lagos Island.

It indicated that no fewer than 1,100 ampoules of lethal synthetic opioid, fentanyl, weighing 6.480kg were recovered from 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.

He said in the third case, one 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.

According to the statement, he was subsequently docked before Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos, and later convicted on 12th July 2024.

The statement indicated that 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.

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.”

Drug trafficking: Three kingpins, 16 others jailed 302 years

metro

Kidnappers kill hotel owner, manager, guest after collecting N25m ransom

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Trends Admin

Shawulu Dan-Mammam,Commissioner of Police, Niger State

Kidnappers kill hotel owner, manager, guest after collecting N25m ransom

In a tragic turn of events, kidnappers who abducted a hotel owner, his manager, and a guest in Gauraka community, Tafa Local Government Area, Niger State, have executed their captives despite receiving a ransom of N25 million.

The incident, which occurred early on August 17, 2024, has also claimed the lives of two local vigilantes, Abubakar Muhammad and Ibrahim Garba, who were killed while delivering the ransom.

According to reports from City & Crime, the bodies of the victims were found in the Dogon-Daji Forest, a border area between Kaduna, Niger State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). They were subsequently transported to an air force base near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Hussaini Abubakar, the commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Tafa, confirmed that the remains of the vigilantes were buried on Saturday following military clearance.

READ ALSO:

Additionally, a man previously abducted from the community about a month ago was rescued with gunshot wounds and is receiving treatment at an army medical facility in Abuja.

The abduction began around 1 am when the kidnappers raided the hotel, forcibly taking all the lodgers. Witnesses reported that the bandits fired shots while leaving, drawing attention to the crime. Despite the presence of a security hunter nearby, the individual fled upon seeing the attackers.

Community residents have expressed growing frustration over the escalating attacks, noting that the bandits frequently operate in nearby forests and along major roads, including the Ijah-Koro and Ijah-Gwari roads leading to Bwari town in the FCT.

Gauraka has experienced at least five kidnapping incidents in the past four months, underscoring the urgent need for increased security measures in the area.

Kidnappers kill hotel owner, manager, guest after collecting N25m ransom

metro

Five Chinese arrested in Akwa Ibom for illegal mining

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Trends Admin

Five Chinese arrested in Akwa Ibom for illegal mining

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested five Chinese nationals suspected of illegal mining activities in Ndito-Eka-Iba village, located in Ibieno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

The EFCC announced the arrests on Sunday, stating that its Special Task Force on Illegal Mining, operating in Uyo, carried out the operation based on credible intelligence regarding illicit mining activities conducted by foreign companies in Eket and Ibieno LGAs.

This development underscores the ongoing efforts of the EFCC to clamp down on illegal mining and protect Nigeria’s natural resources from exploitation by foreign entities.

READ ALSO:

The agency’s vigilance in addressing illegal operations continues to support the country’s broader fight against environmental degradation and economic sabotage.

“The five arrested Chinese suspects are Zhon Qinping, apprehended on 10 September, and Li Yi, Xie Bin, Chen Mou Zhou, and Chen Zeng, arrested on 29 August.

“They were arrested at an illegal mining site, where a mineral suspected to be ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral, was being extracted.

“The suspects will face charges in court once investigations are concluded,” EFCC said.

Five Chinese arrested in Akwa Ibom for illegal mining

(NAN)

metro

Katsina community corps arrests suspect supplying hard drugs to bandits

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Trends Admin

Umar Shehu

Katsina community corps arrests suspect supplying hard drugs to bandits

The Katsina Community Watch Corps (CWC) has apprehended Umar Shehu on allegations of supplying illegal injections and drugs to bandits involved in kidnappings in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The arrest was reported by Bakatsine, a security expert and Conflict and Crisis Journalist in the Northwest region, via a post on X.

Accompanying the post was a video showing a significant quantity of syringes and Umar Shehu’s confession to his involvement in the illegal activities.

READ ALSO:

“GOOD NEWS: The Katsina Community Watch Corp (CWC) in Ɗandume Local Government Area has successfully apprehended a man named Umar Shehu, who was involved in trafficking illegal injections and drugs to supply to bandits engaged in kidnappings in Sabuwa LGA all in Katsina State,” the post reads.

“The security team gathered crucial information from Umar and others, but only Umar’s information appeared in the video while others were not recorded for security reasons, according to an insider.”