NDLEA secures court order to destroy N150m illicit drugs

By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted permission to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA to destroy forfeited narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances, weighing 15.660kg and valued at about N150million.

Justice Inyang Ekwo in a ruling on Friday, granted an order for forfeiture and leave to destroy the drug sought by the NDLEA in an ex-parte application argued by a senior lawyer to the agency, Mike Kassa.

In the application marked: FJC/ABJ/CS/1142021, the NDLEA prayed for “an order for forfeiture and leave to destroy, by burning in a public place, all narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances tendered in cases already prosecuted to conclusion in Abuja from January 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020 by the agency, weighing 15.660kg.”

The NDLEA, in a supporting affidavit, said the drugs and psychotropic substances were seized by operatives at its Abuja command in the course of their operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

It stated that the cases, in respect of which the drugs and psychotropic substances were seized, have all been concluded and that no appeals were pending in respect of the cases.

It listed the cases to which the forfeited items relate to include:

▪︎ CR/96/2019 in which Angela Wairimu Gathanju, arrested May 11, 2019 was convicted by Court 10 of the Federal High Court, Abuja on January 17, 2020 for unlawful possession of 6.5/0kg of heroin;

▪︎ CR/136/2019 in which Emmanuel Ugochukwu Udeagwu was convicted by Court Seven of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 1, 2019 for unlawful possession of 3.1kg of cocaine;

▪︎ CR/172/2019 in which Ogbu Emeka Christian, arrested on July 17, 2019 was convicted by Court Four of the Federal High Court, Abuja on March 17, 2020 for unlawful possession of 3kg of methamphitamine.

▪︎ CR/264/2019 in which Ibeh Augustine Chukwu, arrested on October 20, 2019 was convicted by Court Three of the Federal High Court, Abuja on June 17, 2020 for unlawful possession of 5kg of cocaine.

▪︎ CR/182/2017 in which Anifowose Oluwaseyi Omotayo, arrested on October 25, 2017 was convicted by Court seven of the Federal High Court, Abuja on January 7, 2020 for unlawful possession of 3kg of ephedrine and 1.9kg of cocaine.