By Jennifer Amarachi
Three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been sentenced to 302 years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids.
According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the 19 convicts are among 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court.
He said, “Three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of Three Hundred and Two years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis and opioids following their arrest and diligent prosecution by the NDLEA”.
According to charges brought by the anti-drug agency, “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 between July 1st – 31st, 2024.”
According to Babafemi, on May 25, 2024, operatives of a special operation team of NDLEA at Ibiye, along the Lagos-Badagry road, apprehended Bolanle Dauda, 50, one of the three kingpins, during an intelligence-led raid.
Dauda was trying to cross the land border to deliver the shipment in Ghana.”The 19 convicted individuals are at the top of the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers found guilty by the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, and Gombe.
“42 blocks of cocaine totaling 47.5 kilograms were discovered on him at the time of his arrest. Following a prompt follow-up operation, eight more blocks of the same substance, weighing a total of 10 kg, were found at his home at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state. This brings the total amount of cocaine that was taken from him to 57.5 kg”.
He was then charged with a crime under charge number FHC/L/537C/2024 before Hon. Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The statement said, “Judge Allagoa found him guilty and sentenced him to 21 years in jail or payment of an option of N30 million fine in his decision handed on July 19, 2024. Babafemi added that Ikeh Stanley Ifeanyi, 34, is another kingpin who was imprisoned.
“The dangerous opioid is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the US.
“He was later arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court Lagos in charge number FHC/L/433C/2024. Delivering his judgment on 4th July 2024, the trial judge convicted Ifeanyi on the two counts charge and sentenced him to 14 years in jail or an option of N2million fine.”
He said that the third kingpin, Christian Anyanwu, was apprehended on November 26, 2022, with 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden within custard jars packed among cosmetics and commodities on a Qatar Airways flight bound for Brazil via Doha. He was then brought before Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos and convicted on July 12, 2024.
In his decision, the trial judge sentenced Anyanwu to 16 years in prison, four of which were mandatory and without the option of fine. Babafemi continued, “Others who bagged obligatory incarceration in July for drug trafficking include Moses Yakubu, who was sentenced to 25 years in jail on the 22nd of July by Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court Abuja; Oluosun Okikiol, who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail on 17th July by Justice A. An Okeke of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun state.
“In the same vein, on July 9th, Justice R.J. Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Makurdi, Benue state found Chanchan Terpase guilty and sentenced him to seven years in prison. On July 3rd, 2024, Justice C.O. Obiozor of the Federal High Court in Benin, Edo state found Beauty Gani guilty and sentenced her to thirty years in prison or to pay an optional N8 million fine”.
