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NDLEA Canvasses Stiffer Penalty for Drug Offenders
Leadership (Abuja)
NEWS
26 August 2008 </B>
Posted to the web 26 August 2008
By Bernard Tolani Dada
Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, has again called for stiffer penalty for drug offenders if the anti-narcotic war is to be taken seriously.
Giade made the call while reacting to the conviction of 20 drug offenders at the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos, on July 2008.
The convicts got various jail terms ranging from two months to five years.
According to him, "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".
He, however, assured that the Agency was exploring both legal and political options to remedy the ugly trend.
Four of the convicts who got the highest jail term of five years were given N500,000 option of fine each.
The convicts are, 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 and given an option of N200,000 fine.
The other two are Nwokedi Tagbo Jerome,35, caught 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 and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment while Okpalanne Andrew Emeka, 27, caught with 2.430 kg of cocaine also got twelve months with an option of N500,000 fine.
Obijiaku Harrison Ifeanyi, 34, that was arrested with 2.110 kg of cocaine was the only convict that was sentenced to eleven 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 were both given N400,000 fine. Chime Okechukwu,34, arrested with 840 grammes of cocaine got a fine of N450,000 naira while Austine Samuel Nosakhare,36 caught with 1.037 kg of cocaine was given a fine of N350,000 fine.
Another three 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.
Leadership (Abuja)
NEWS
26 August 2008 </B>
Posted to the web 26 August 2008
By Bernard Tolani Dada
Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, has again called for stiffer penalty for drug offenders if the anti-narcotic war is to be taken seriously.
Giade made the call while reacting to the conviction of 20 drug offenders at the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos, on July 2008.
The convicts got various jail terms ranging from two months to five years.
According to him, "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".
He, however, assured that the Agency was exploring both legal and political options to remedy the ugly trend.
Four of the convicts who got the highest jail term of five years were given N500,000 option of fine each.
The convicts are, 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 and given an option of N200,000 fine.
The other two are Nwokedi Tagbo Jerome,35, caught 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 and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment while Okpalanne Andrew Emeka, 27, caught with 2.430 kg of cocaine also got twelve months with an option of N500,000 fine.
Obijiaku Harrison Ifeanyi, 34, that was arrested with 2.110 kg of cocaine was the only convict that was sentenced to eleven 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 were both given N400,000 fine. Chime Okechukwu,34, arrested with 840 grammes of cocaine got a fine of N450,000 naira while Austine Samuel Nosakhare,36 caught with 1.037 kg of cocaine was given a fine of N350,000 fine.
Another three 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.