The unprecedented flourishing of the business of drug trafficking and peddling in Nigeria has been blamed on the undue cooperation and support allegedly given to drug barons by some unscrupulous police officers in the country. According to a Psychiatrist, Dr Olafemwa Popoola, this was one of the factors militating against drug war in the country. Popoola, stated this, during the year 2009 United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking, organised by the Ekiti State Chapter of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) [continues 152 words]
Lagos Action Congress (AC) yesterday called for a probe of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), alleging that its special role is being hampered by lack of internal control and corruption. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party noted that "when we called for a probe of the Agency in an earlier statement over the shoddy handling of a huge cocaine import from Brazil and activities of a jail evasion cartel in the Agency, its Spokesman, Mitchel Ofoyeju, said we were ignorant and denied any role by NDLEA or its staff in the prison evasion scandal. [continues 243 words]
Indication emerged at the weekend, that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's anti-drug crusade may have started yielding dividends, as the United Nations (UN) Office on Drugs Control (UNODC) adjudged Nigeria as the best country in drug control and enforcement in West Africa. A statement by the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos, said the rating was based on the latest assessment report of the organisation. The statement which did not, however, contain statistics of the Nigeria's efforts on drug control, said the report reflected the measures put in place to curtail the menace of hard drug by the Federal Government. [continues 194 words]
The South West zone of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently converged on Abeokuta, Ogun State capital on awareness campaign on the prevention of illicit drug crop cultivation, trafficking and abuse. Jaiyeola Andrews, who was at the event writes Illicit drug trafficking is one of the vices plaguing the society. While the agencies are working hard against the influx of illicit drug in the society, drug barons and couriers device novel strategies daily to beat the traps of the agency. In Nigeria for example, despite all efforts made by NDLEA to stamp out illicit drug trafficking, abuse and cultivations, drug traffickers chose to look the other way, and often pay the price with their lives. [continues 1092 words]
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has sacked 100 members of staff involved in aiding and abetting drug deals. Director General of NDLEA, Mr Lanre Ipinmisho, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja at the weekend. Ipinmisho said the staff were found aiding drug barons and drug traffickers in their illicit trade. He said the officers were found guilty by the disciplinary committee set up by the agency for various offences. "In any establishment, you always have some bad eggs. So we fished them out and they were asked to face disciplinary action", he said. [continues 179 words]
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Osun State Command said at the weekend that it had discovered and destroyed 16 Indian Hemp Farms within the state. In the same vein, Ondo State Command of the agency said the command had arrested 34 suspects and made a seizure of 6.1 tonnes Indian hemp in different locations in the state in the last three months. During the same period, it said, eleven suspects had been convicted for drug offences. Speaking at the awarness rally for the "Prevention of illicit Drug Cultivation, Trafficking and Abuse" organised in Osogbo, the Commander of the agency, Barrister Mrs W. Audu, represented by her deputy, Mr Onyema Ezeji, stressed that the agency was poised to ensure total eradication of illicit trafficking in narcotic drug and psychotropic subutances. [continues 217 words]
Cases of drug trafficking are rampant in Nigeria. Unemployment, impoverishment and the general socio-economic malaise have been identified as the causes of the illicit trade. Working in partnership with the Federal Government and the British High Commission in Nigeria, Hibiscus London last week kicked off an anti-drug trafficking campaign in Lagos. It is aimed at creating anti-drug trafficking awareness. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes. Comrade Wale Aribatise was a student activist, but he has now become a pastor, and is currently working with a non-governmental organisation in Lagos with a passion to fight social ills. Just a decade ago, he was walking on the street of Lagos in the night when some policemen arrested and detained him for no specific offence other than what he claimed the officers called wandering. [continues 2652 words]
Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, has bemoaned the high rate at which cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) is being cultivated, in the South-west geo-political zone of the country. He said , 992 drug suspects were arrested, 223 convicted, and 175,835.53 various drugs seize in the zone. He equally hinted that "quite a number of our forest reserves have today been effectively penetrated, with the active connivance of some unscrupulous persons who for the sake of peanuts, have decided to look the other way while enemies of the society grow weeds that pose a threat to our collective existence." Giade spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, at the South-west zonal workshop on awareness campaign on the prevention of illicit drug crop cultivation, trafficking and abuse in Nigeria, held at the Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun sate capital. He observed that drug problem has become a major threat to the nation's socio-political wellbeing, saying if not dealt with decisively as expected fron the anti-illicit drug agency, posterity would not be fair to those concerned. According to him, NDLEA would do everything possible to bring drug barons in the country to book, adding that if the barons were allowed to operate unfettered, the Nigerian society would bear the sour brunt. Describing drug barons as enemies of the state, the NDLEA boss, said the aggressive war against the illicit drug trade by the agency would be sustained, stressing that those found guilty of contravening the law of the land, would face its full wrath. In his address at the occasion , Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, said it was a sad development for the South west to be the hub of illicit drug cultivation and trafficking in the country, as revealed by the agency's record. Daniel, who said the region was noted for cash and food crops production like cocoa and kola nuts among others stressed the need to arrest the negative trend, where the activities of a select few would give the region a bad name. According to him, greed and desire to make quick money at the expense of the larger society, was the root cause as to why dealing in illicit drugs has been on the rise. adding that the trend must not be allowed to continue, as this could be achieved by identifying and bring to book those dealing in the trade. [end]
No fewer than 174 suspects have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) including the village head of Dikwala in Zuru Local Government area of Kebbi State , Mallam Musa Gade for cultivating 13 hectares of Indian hemp farms. The State NDLEA Comman-der Barrister Ogilegwu Ona who disclosed this weekend, at a rally on prevention of illicit drug crop cultivation, drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Birnin Kebbi, said apart from the arrested village head, Indian hemp plantations were destroyed, while 359.3kg of illicit drugs were seized in the state. [continues 291 words]
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it has received a total of 2,630 visa clearance applications from Nigerians travelling to different drug producing countries, from January 2006 to July 2008. However, out of this number, only three were unsuccessful. No reason was given for the denial. The administrative fee of N10,000 paid by each applicant for the period under review has also yielded over N26million, into the government coffers. It revealed that 609 applications were received in 2006, while the following year, the number increased to 1,004. [continues 315 words]
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reiterated its determination to commence the screening of all top government functionaries, particularly aides to state governors while travelling out of the country. Speaking at an interactive session with journalists at the agency's Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, Ikeja, Lagos office yesterday, NDLEA Director-General/ Secretary, Otunba Lanre Ipinmisho, said the action was meant to prevent the usage of the presidential wing and lounge of the nation's airports for drug trafficking. [continues 732 words]
In its bid to rid the society of illicit drugs, Edo State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has impounded 71,000 kilogrammes of Indian hemp and arrested 300 persons. It also impounded 15 vehicles used for conveying the drugs and facilitated the conviction of 18 suspects, while 10 are still awaitng prosecution. Edo State Director of NDLEA, Mr Okey Ihebom, said this while briefing newsmen in Benin, weekend. According to him, the seizures were made between January and June this year, adding that this year's figure may tripple that of last year where 76,000 kilogrammes of carnabis was publicly burnt on January 26, 2008. [continues 81 words]
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, said yesterday that the Federal Government has taken measures to ensure that governors do not indulge in corrupt practices. "We will not allow the new set of governors to be involved in corrupt practices", Aondoakaa said in Abuja at a workshop on the Validation of National Drug Control Master Plan. The workshop was jointly organised by the NDLEA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). "We will nip it in the bud by strengthening theoperations of anti corruption agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC and the NDLEA," he said. [continues 266 words]
Ordinarily, he should be living in retirement. At 70, Inuwa Isah should be one of the sages in his village offering advice on every single subject from family matters to matters of public interest. Instead, he allegedly chose to become a local drug baron. Afew weeks ago, 70-year-old Inuwa Isah was paraded along with several young men by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over alleged drugs offences. Instead of being a senior citizen, living in blissful retirement, Isah was a senior suspect paraded alongside his 18-year-old son who ought to be in school or be engaged in some other gainful venture. [continues 1128 words]
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade said at the weekend that Cannabis otherwise known as Indian hemp is the biggest drug challenge in the country and the African continent. Giade made the declaration when the Agency publicly destroyed a total of 101,652.24 kilogrammes of narcotics which is about 102 metric tonnes in Anambra, Delta and Edo States . Edo State Command where 75,896 kilogrammes of hard drugs were destroyed has the largest quantity. This is followed by Delta State and Anambra State Commands where 22,700 kilogrammes and 3,056.24 kilogrammes of narcotics were set ablaze. The public destruction is part of the Agency's effort to provide a drug free society for all. [continues 407 words]
(Ondo) - National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has instituted a joint operation team with men of the state police command and other security agencies, to reduce cultivation and consumption of hard drugs, especially cannabis. NDLEA state Commander, Mr Shedow Gaura, said this while speaking with reporters in his office in Akure, Ondo State capital, adding that the action became necessary, to reduce the menace, particularly in Akure, Ondo, Akoko and Ore, regarded as black spots. He said the Command is consistently raiding all the areas to reduce the high rate of consumption of Indian hemp by youths between the ages of 17 and 27, adding that Gaura said Ondo State is one of the highest producers of cannabis adding that the command had seized 10 tonnes of cannabis, while about 172 arrests were made between June and December 2007. [continues 127 words]
Katsina National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested 396 persons for various drugs offences in Katsina State, last year. The figure was given by the state's Commander of the Agency, Alhaji Hamisu Lawan, in an interview in Katsina. He said the suspects were promptly prosecuted, with 74 of them sentenced to various jail terms by a Federal High Court. The commander, who said the trial of 25 other suspects was on-going, said 34 suspects, confirmed to be drug addicts, were receiving treatment at the state reformatory centre in Katsina. [continues 157 words]
Lagos -- Former commander in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Abdullahi Bayawo, will today be arraigned at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on a six-count charge of aiding and abetting and unlawful removal of drug exhibits from the Agency's custody. According to Mitchell Ofoyeju, image maker of NDLEA, Bayawo was arrested on November 28, 2007, "based on overwhelming evidence on the case against him." Bayawo, who was the former Commander at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, between 2001 and 2005, will face three-count charge of aiding three drug traffickers, Mrs Madu Janet, Nonyerem, aka Magdalene Nwoye, Tarka Lara and Olusegun Abdullazeez, to escape lawful custody, contrary to and punishable under Section 10f (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Amendment Act NO.15 of 1992. [continues 53 words]
Those who know Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'adua closely say that when ever he sets his mind on achieving a feat that has massive social responsibility goal/implication that will serve the greatest good of the greatest number of citizens, he never looks back and that he scouts for the best possible experts to help in the speedy realization of the objective. Hauwa Ibrahim the Gombe State born Human Rights lawyer who has won several international awards for her advocacy works aimed at providing legal assistance to some vulnerable Nigerians of Northern extraction that came under the hammer of the widely disputed sharia criminal code and indeed sentenced to different forms of punishments [for alleged sundry offences that border on adultery] including the possible cutting of their limbs told this writer that Umaru Musa Yar'adua as a listening Governor ensured that those accused of violating these sharia laws are allowed to exhaust their constitutionally allowed right of appeal. [continues 1102 words]
Thursday August 2, 2007 would have gone like any other day in the ancient city of Katsina but the normal serenity was broken for a noble cause. The road leading to Jibia, an international border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic was unusually busy. As early as six o'clock in the morning, trucks carrying various sacks were seen plying the road as if it was a neighboring village market day. One would have thought that the goods belong to traders going to the market in anticipation of jumbo sales, but that thinking was however far from reality. The heavy presence of armed security personnel accompanying the goods may have also betrayed the fact that the goods are the normal market commodities. In fact, it was the evacuation of various narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances from the strong room of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) situated in a popular area called Kofa Kwaya (gate of drugs) in Katsina. [continues 486 words]
