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| Obums and Martins |
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) were shocked to discover that one their latest arrest was man
who had twice been arrested and twice convicted and sentenced to prison.
The apparently un repentant suspect, Ejike Martins,
53, was said to have been arrested twice for drug trafficking and sentenced
twice, yet he is on his way back to prison following his present arrest.
The Kano State Command of the NDLEA apprehended Martins
and one ThankGod Obums, 35, also an ex-convict, as they attempted to smuggle
dried weeds which tested positive for cannabis
sativa.
The duo was caught along Emir Road, Sabon Gari Kano
with a dark green Mercedes Benz Car, marked AA809AJG, containing compressed 104
blocks of Cannabis sativa weighing 66kgs.
The NDLEA Kano commander, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said: “We
responded swiftly to an intelligence report on the duo and when we got to their
location at Emir Road, they were found to be in possession of compressed
cannabis with a total weight of 66kg. They have claimed ownership of the drugs
stating that it was a joint business. They both contributed the start-up
capital with which they invested in cannabis smuggling.”
According to the Agency’s spokesman, Mr. Mitchel
Ofoyeju, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects had earlier been
convicted for drug trafficking.
Ofoyeju explained: “Findings on Ejike Martins are
particularly disturbing. Ejike travelled to Lagos in 1982 in search of job
opportunities after his Primary education. He was first arrested by the NDLEA
for drug trafficking in 2005 on his way to Spain at the Lagos airport. NDLEA
charged him to court for attempting to export one kilogramme of cocaine to
Spain. He was found guilty and sentenced to two and half years imprisonment but
he mischievously evaded jail term. Three months after his criminal jail evasion,
he was apprehended at the Kano airport with 4kg of cocaine.
“This second arrest made the NDLEA to uncover the
jail evasion cartel in 2007. Ejike was sentenced to five years jail term for
smuggling 4kg of Cocaine found on him at the Kano Airport. The charge number is
FHC/IL/CR/183/2007, FGN VS Ejike Martins. In order for him not to go scot-free
on the first conviction, NDLEA re-arrested Ejike at the gate of the Kano Prison
after completing his four years jail term and took him to Lagos to serve the
initial jail term that he evaded in 2006. After completing the arrears of his
sentence, he regained his freedom in January 2014. Still not remorseful, Ejike
went back to drug trafficking. This time around, he connived with one Obums to
smuggle cannabis from Edo State to Kano. He is currently being investigated in
Kano.”
Ofoyeju said that background check on Obums
revealed that he gained admission into Delta State University in 2001 but
dropped out of school at 300 levels in 2003.
He was first arrested for dealing in cannabis by
the NDLEA in Kano State. He was convicted but after spending three months in
prison custody, he regained his freedom after the wife paid the fine N350, 000.
NDLEA Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade reassured
Nigerians that no drug trafficker would go unpunished in the country.
Giade said: “The case history of Ejike is a
reflection of the rising capacity of the NDLEA as a strong institution. The
data management system in the Agency has significantly improved. Our transition
from a short term to a long term undercover operations is yielding very
positive results. The foundation for effective policing is strongly established
and I can reassure Nigerians that no drug dealer shall go unpunished in the
country. Unless drug traffickers quit the criminal act, we shall continue to
bring them to book.”
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