The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired , Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa says imprisonment will strengthen deterrent effect of the agency’s drug supply reduction efforts.
Marwa said this while reacting to the sentencing of three kingpins and 16 other convicts who were jailed for a total of 302 years for drug trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Friday in Abuja.
The convicts were jailed for dealing in cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids said thier sentencing came following their arrest and diligent prosecution by the agency.
He said that the 19 convicts top the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.
This, he said was between July 1 and July 31, adding that it was based on charge filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.
“One of the three kingpins, 50-year-old Lookman Dauda was arrested during an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry expressway.
“This was done while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on May 25.
“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kg kwere found on him.
“A swift follow up operation in his residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from him to 57.5kg.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024.
” In his judgment delivered on July 19, Justice Allagoa convicted and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment or payment of an option of N30million fine, “he said.