By Simon Ateba
Following very light penalties slammed on 20 drug convicts last month, at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, at the weekend, declared that the judiciary is undermining the war against drug trafficking in the country.
After learning about the conviction of the 20 drug traffickers last month, Giade said: “We are absolutely opposed to a situation where drug offenders get away with light sentences. It is counter-productive and definitely not encouraging for the drug war.’’
NDLEA in a statement yesterday, by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, disclosed that last month alone, among the 20 drug traffickers convicted at the Ikoyi Federal High Court, only four got five-year jail terms with an option of fine of N500,000.
The Director General of NDLEA, Otunba Lanre Ipinmisho, had disclosed last month, that a kilogramme of cocaine is worth N4 million.
The four convicts that got the highest jail term of five years and were given N500,000 option of fine each, include Ogbonna Paul Eze, 36, caught with 1.132 kg cocaine; Tiase Gabriel Ogba, 33, caught with 1.428 kg of cocaine; Onyebuchi Nnamdi Patrick, 36, caught with 1.139 kg of cocaine and Akubuo Godwin Uchenna, 35, caught with 1.356 kg of cocaine.
Three others got two years imprisonment each, with one of them, Ukah Christian Okorie, 33, caught with 7.6 kg of cannabis given an option of N200,000 fine. The other two are Nwokedi Tagbo Jerome, 35, caught with 1.126 kg of cocaine and Barry Issah, 27, caught with 6.5 kg of cocaine.
Similarly, Yunusa Umaru, 28, caught with 530 grammes of cannabis sentenced to 12 months imprisonment while Okpalanne Andrew Emeka, 27, caught with 2.430 kg of cocaine also got 12 months with an option of N500,000 fine.
Obijiaku Harrison Ifeanyi, 34, arrested with 2.110 kg of cocaine was the only convict that was sentenced to 11 months imprisonment. He, however, was given an option of N380, 000 fine. Four others got ten months imprisonment each with options of fine. They are Alugwo Kingsley Uka,33, nabbed with 1.810 kg of cocaine and Ezike Ugochukwu,34, arrested with 2.009 kg of cocaine. Both were given N400,000 fine. Chime Okechukwu, 34, arrested with 840 grammes of cocaine got a fine of N450,000, while Austine Samuel Nosakhare, 36, caught with 1.037 kg of cocaine was given a fine of N350,000 fine.
Three other convicts were given nine months imprisonment each. They are Nwosu Emenike Hippolite,43, caught with 962 grammes of cocaine and Okoro Francis, 23, arrested with 1.122 kg of cocaine, both of whom were given N300,000 option of fine each and Adams Chairs, 34, arrested with 1.244 kg of cocaine that was given N350,000 option of fine. The only female among them, Avenbuan Caroline,32, caught with 1.695 kg of cocaine got seven months imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine. The remaining two convicts, Rotijesi Oluwasanmi, 26, and Eweje Tobi, 22, both of whom were caught with 87 grammes of cannabis were sentenced to two months imprisonment each.
In the US, a drug trafficker caught with over one kilogramme of cocaine bags at least 14 years jail term. In some Arab and Middle East countries, drug convicts are simply executed. Many Nigerians caught with various drugs have been sentenced to death or given life imprisonment in recent times in Islamic countries with strict laws against the sale and consumption of narcotics.
Boogie Taliendo
25 August 2008 16:38This suggests an evil collaboration between the judiciary and kingpins of the drug network in Nigeria. It confirms our total state of rot and perplexing failure of institutions established by statute and morality to implement principles and pracitices of corporate governance and best practices.
It will, however, be sadder to note that the NDLEA authorities are sounding this warning not out of any concern for the situation, but out of jealousy and resentment for members of the judiciary who are now enjoying a field day of bribery and gratification from drug pushers and their barons with whom NDLEA authorities themselves had in the past enjoyed illicit fraternity. They are angry that the patronage they enjoyed from the drug network has now been transferred to the judiciary.
Soon we shall be witnessing arrests (real and concocted) of drug traffickers related or connected in one way or the other to members of the judiciary as a way of getting even with members of the judiciary for stealing their clients.
Dr tunji Daniel {Yokohama,Japan}
25 August 2008 19:15In I.T It is Baggage in Baggage Out.NDLEA is it not what you Prepare as Case files with Oloruntoba’s Boys and Girls in the Legal Department like Himikaye,Tessy etc etc who arrange Defence counsel like Osahon for Drug Suspects and then link up with Judges after Settlement to give ridiculus bail conditions?Who is decieving who?Giade STOP FOOLING AROUND.Nigerians are no fools.Mention any follow up your so called NDLEA Operatives has carried out after any arrest at the Airport that has led to the arrest of any Baron?Are the Barons Ghost?Until Iyiola was arrested in Italy by the Carrabinieri,;he was always goin in and out of Ndlea Headquarters at Shaw Road like a King.A beg Giade Shut up if you do not know what to say.Samething applies to the fake Otunba from Kogi- Ipinmisho.
femi jones
25 August 2008 19:55These judges are surely sick. Do they ever know the type of embarassment and untold hardship thier greedy attitude is bringing to innocent Nigerians on onternational routes. These judges are surely corrupt and this explains why someone will steal N17b (Tafa balagun) and he would be sentenced to 6 months while someone that steals goat would be sentenced to 14years. How can someone be involved in drug traffiking and yet he would be given an option of fine of N500,000.00 These judges are really mad and God will punish all of them.
Ogbologbo master
26 August 2008 00:01Funny , when we had death penalty for drug couriers , the loal and international human rights community were screaming their heads off and the ultimate sanctionwas reversed. Now we have ridiculous sentences being handed down with practically no jail time in hand. In the UK you will get a minimum 10 years for 1 kg of coke and more for heroin (typicall 15 years) What are we telling the world? that we are soft on the drug trade and its operatives. One thing strikes me though , most of the names in the article are Igbo names. What is going on ? Have Ibos taken over the drug trade or are whay is this so? Someone , please comment
silvano
26 August 2008 11:05“Ogologbo master, just to take away your doubt, ” Drug business has always be the illegal trade for the IBOS, not only here you have them in jail, in malaysia, Brazil, indonesia, just to mention a few, they are in their thounsands in jail. Is only now that other tribes are following them, but originally, they are the owner of the trade - just the same way they originated the ritualism. Infact these folks are dangerious and desperate, mostly after the failure of Biafra-war.
Then concerning NDLEA; you people are stupid to think the court Judges will give 100 yrs to drug pushers, while Ibori, Kalu, Igbinedion lucky, Imoke and others , cannot get one month for looting billions of naira . EFCC, NDLEA ,are only shouting where they are not suppose, while celiberatiing the real evil people. Educated illiterates -fools.
chukwuma
26 August 2008 14:27PLEASE LEAVE IBO PEOPLE ALONE,NIGERIA AS A COUNTRY IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IBO AS AN EXCUSE FOR THEIR FAILED STATE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES AND DRUG TRAFICKING IS THE FALL OUT OF A FAILED STATE THAT CAN NOT PROVIDE BASIC AMENITIES FOR ITS CITIZENS.YOU NEED A LOT OF MONEY TO LEAVE IN NIGERIA FROM FUEL FOR GENERATORS TO PURE WATER.
MAY BE OTHER TRIBES ARE NOT CAUGHT BECAUSE THEIR PEOPLE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL CHECK AT THE AIR PORT OR THEIR PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OIL FACILITATORS OR OTHER DEALS THAT IS EXCLUDED FOR FEW TRIBES.IBOS ARE WINNERS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WIN NOT WITHSATNDING THAT WE SUFFERD GENOCIDE FROM THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ALWAYS SPEAK NEGATIVE AGAINST US.