Nine Ghanaians have been jailed 72 years for attempting to smuggle 10,843.95kgs cannabis into Nigeria through the sea.
A statement issued by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) spokesman, Femi Babafemi said they were jailed on Friday, 14 October, 2022.
He said they were initially arrested by men of the Civil Defence Corps and transferred to NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.
”At the conclusion of investigations, they were arraigned in charge number FHC/L/292C/2021.
“Delivering his ruling in the matter on Friday, Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos convicted the Ghanaians of conspiracy and dealing in cannabis and thereafter sentenced each of them to eight years in prison. The convicts include: Victor Wuddah; Freeman Gazul; Adotete Joseph; Sottie Moses.
Others are: Sottie Stephen; Christian Tette; Kanu Okonipa; Daniel Koyepti; and Kanu Natte.
Meanwhile, Babafemi said a 200-level student of Mass Communication at National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ms. Mercy Nyong, 30, was on Wednesday 12th Oct arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos for attempting to export 300grams of tramadol 225mg concealed in incense products going to Dubai, UAE.
Babafemi also disclosed that 5,480 pills of tramadol were seized from two suspects: Dalhatu Salisu and Hamisu Ishaq, who were arrested on Wednesday 12th October by operatives along Abuja-Kaduna express road.
He added that a total of 3,800 bottles of new psychoactive substance, Akuskura and 7,760 tablets of tramadol were recovered from five suspects along Ilorin-Jebba highway. Four of the suspects: Idris Nadir, 38; Suleiman Mubammed, 68; Babangida Zaki, 30 and Yahaya Lawal claimed they were coming from Ibadan, Oyo state and taking the Akuskura to Katsina, Kano and Birnin Kebbi. The fifth suspect, Nafiu Idris, who was arrested with the tramadol pills said he was taking them to Kankara in Katsina state.
While commending the officers and men of Yobe, MMIA, Ondo, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos and FCT Commands of the anti-narcotics Agency for their efforts at drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction, its Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR, charged them and their counterparts across other commands not to rest on their oars.
