Crime
Court Hands 25-Year Sentence To India-Bound Drug Smuggler
A Federal High Court has sentenced Freeman Charles Ogbonna to 25 years in prison following his arrest by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
Ogbonna, who was bound for Delhi, India, via Doha on Qatar Airways, was apprehended after he began vomiting and excreting 80 wraps of cocaine during screening at Terminal 2 of MMIA.
Initially using a Liberian passport under the name Carr Bismark, Ogbonna was identified through a positive body scan indicating drug ingestion.
Subsequent investigation revealed his true identity and he was placed under NDLEA custody.
Spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed in a statement on Tuesday that Ogbonna’s discomfort led to the expulsion of the illicit drugs ingested.
He said “Obviously choked by the volume of illicit drugs in his stomach and another substance taken to hold back excretion, the suspect soon began to retch before starting to vomit and excrete wraps of cocaine he ingested almost simultaneously.
“The suspect who claimed he was recruited into drug trafficking by one of his relatives, eventually passed out a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus over a period of four days.
“The great risk that almost took his life notwithstanding, Ogbonna said he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in Ipodo area of Ikeja with a promise to reward him with N300,000 cash if he successfully delivers the consignment in India.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Justice Dipeolu Deinde Isaac of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHCL/378/2024 for committing an offence contrary to Section 20(1)(b) and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 LFN 2004.”
In his ruling on Monday, July 1, 2024, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Freeman Charles Ogbonna to 25 years in prison without the option of a fine.
This decision came after Ogbonna was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempting to traffic cocaine through Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), praised the MMIA Command and the prosecution team for their swift and thorough handling of the case.
He emphasized the judiciary’s crucial role in the concerted efforts to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
Marwa underscored that Ogbonna’s conviction serves as a stern warning to others involved in drug trafficking, highlighting that there will be no refuge for drug barons and their associates.
In a shocking incident on Saturday night, bandits stormed the Dahjonu community in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area, abducting two journalists and their families.
The victims include Abdulgafar Alabelewe of The Nation newspaper and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint newspaper.
Alabelewe, who also serves as the chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Kaduna State, was taken along with his wife and two children.
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Aodu and his ailing wife were also kidnapped, while their sick daughter was left behind.
The attack occurred around 10:30 PM, according to Taofeeq Olayemi, a relative of one of the victims.
The bandits reportedly fired shots indiscriminately before carrying out the abductions.
He said, “Initially, they picked Abdulgafar, his wife, and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return with one of the children and left with Abdulgafar, his wife, and two children.
“They shattered their doors and windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence.”
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 50-year-old man for allegedly torturing his five-year-old son in the Gwalangan Mayaka suburb of Bauchi metropolis.
According to CSP Ahmed Wakil, the command’s spokesperson, a good Samaritan reported the incident to the Police after finding the boy unconscious and shackled.
A team of detectives led by CSP Mubarak S. Baba rescued the boy, who identified himself as Hussaini Abubakar and revealed that his father had treated him inhumanely and confined him without food for three days.
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The father was arrested for alleged child abuse and claimed he was trying to prevent the boy from stealing from their neighbour.
Wakil said, “During an interview, the victim Identified himself as Hussaini Abubakar. He revealed that he was treated inhumanely by his biological father.
“The boy further stated that he was incarcerated with the exception of all humane treatment by the father for many days which he cannot specify and also spent three days without eating.
“That his father was advised to do so by his friend. The police criminal investigation department would investigate discreetly to get to the crux of the matter and other motives surrounding the dastardly act.”
The police spokesperson expressed gratitude to the public for their cooperation and vigilance in helping to identify and bring to justice individuals engaging in harmful behavior.
In addition to the arrest of the 50-year-old man for child abuse, the command has also apprehended two suspects for alleged rape in the Bauchi metropolis.
The suspects, aged 28 and 67, allegedly committed sexual assaults on minors, including a 9-year-old girl and two teenage girls aged 17 and 16.
The suspects, according to CSP Ahmed Wakil, have confessed to the crime during interrogation, corroborating the victim’s statement.
He added that the investigation is ongoing, and upon completion, the suspects will be charged in court.
The weekly public enlightenment campaign of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) would be focusing on women, this Friday.
Biztellers reports that the President, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Prof. Rosemary Ogu would be leading the discussions.
According to a statement on the verified X handle of the NDLEA, the conversations would be on the subject, “Substance Abuse in Pregnancy: Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Remedies”.
It was gathered that the Agency had resorted to public enlargement as a way of discouraging abuse of substances among the people.
It wrote, “The President, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Prof. Rosemary Ogu will lead the 102nd edition of our weekly X Space conversation this Friday at 3pm.
“Let’s prepare for this engaging and informative experience.”
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