The National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) said they have won the conviction of 8,637 drug offenders in the
past five years.
NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade
said: “The convictions will serve as a deterrence to drug traffickers. The
Agency has maintained an impressive annual average conviction of 1,727 since
2010.”
The NDLEA boss attributed the
remarkable conviction scorecard to strict adherence to prosecution policy of
the Agency.
“NDLEA has one of the highest
criminal conviction scorecards among security Agencies in the country,” said
Giade.
According to him, in line with NDLEA’s
prosecution policy, all arrested drug traffickers are diligently prosecuted. He
explained that conviction was a top priority in the Agency because it would
serve as a punishment to offenders while it also deters many from indulging in
drug trafficking.
Giade said: “In 2010, the
NDLEA won 1,509 convictions, in 2011, 1,491, while in 2012, the number of persons convicted
rose to 1,718. The convictions further increased to 1,865 in 2013 and 2,054 in
2014. This brings the total number of drug offenders sentenced to various jail
terms since 2010 to 8,637. We also investigate and confiscate the assets of
drug traffickers.”
He said that the conviction of 2,054
drug offenders in 2014 was a striking improvement over the 1,865 and 1,718
recorded in 2013 and 2012 respectively.
He further said that the sentencing pattern had improved with a drastic
decline in the award of options of fine as well as terms of imprisonment below
six months.
“Some notable convictions include
the imprisonment of a Pakistani Bukhari Syed Wassem to 10 years imprisonment
for the importation of 13kg of heroin into Nigeria,” said Giade. “The Federal
High Court sitting in Lagos sentenced one Lanre Salami to 10 years for
dealing in 400 grammes of cannabis. Chukwukelu Sunday Calistus, bagged life
imprisonment by the Federal High Court Abuja for the importation of 1.59kg of
cocaine. Several others like Dominic Fabunmi, was sentenced to 15 years
imprisonment by the Federal High Court Ekiti for unlawful possession of 273.8kg
of cannabis. Similarly, Andrew Nwachukwu, got 15 years imprisonment by the
Federal High Court Lafia for dealing in 5kg of cannabis while Joseph Moses,
also got 15 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt for
dealing in 172.5kg of cannabis.”
Giade said that one Onyemachi
Remigius, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court
Lagos for exporting 600 grammes of methamphetamine. The Court of Appeal, Lagos
also affirmed the sentences of two foreigners, Richard Wang and Fung Chu who
were earlier sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each by the Federal
High Court Lagos for importing 450.400kg of cocaine imported from Chile.
One Obiora Emmanuel a.k.a Dim
Chigozie was sentenced to five years imprisonment for money laundering and made
to forfeit the sum of N14 million being proceeds of illicit drugs.
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