Nigerian High Court Remands Five Alleged Drug Lords In Lagos

The remand of five accused drug barons has been ordered by a Federal High Court in Lagos State.

The five accused drug barons were apprehended by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ikorodu, Lagos and are to be remanded until January 17, 2023, when their bail motion will be heard.

This was contained in a ruling made by Justice Peter Lifu, ordering that the suspect should be remanded at the Lagos centre of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCOs).

The arrested suspects are Soji Jubril Oke; Wasiu Akinade; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu; Oguntolure Sunday and a Jamaican, Kelvin Christopher Smith.

They all pleaded not guilty to six charges of conspiracy, illegal importation of 2,139.55 kilos of cocaine, involvement in the establishment, administration, and funding of a Narcotic Trafficking Organization (DTO), and illegal possession of the same drug.

Umar Hussain, counsel for the NDLEA, stated that the defendants were caught with narcotics between July and September 18 and 19, 2022 at Number 6, Olukonla Crescent, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The prosecutor told the court that the offences committed by all the defendants are contrary to Sections 14 (b): 20 (1)(g); 11 and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (As amended) and punishable under sections 20 (2)(b) of the same Act.

After taking their plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand them in prison custody till the determination of the charges against them.

But their counsels, Chief Benson Ndakara and Chief Liliana Omotunde, requested that the court grant their clients bail in the most liberal terms possible.

Chief Ndakara specifically informed the court that two of his clients, Soji Jubril Oke and Wasiu Akinade, are suffering from serious health problems.

After hearing the counsel's arguments on the bail application, Justice Lifu ordered the remand of all defendants in the NCOS's Ikoyi facility until January 17, 2023, when a judgement on the bail application will be issued.

The judge also ordered the Correctional Centre's Director to provide the court with health reports on the sickened defendants within two weeks.