An Onitsha Prince, Mr. Chukwuma Ibis was among three suspects paraded yesterday by the Anambra State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for being in possession of 126.090 kg of Cannabis Sativa.
Mr. Ibis admitted to the crime, saying he was pushed into it by disobedience and efforts to settle some problem he was having. He said he was from a royal family, hence a Prince from Onitsha as his uncle was the Traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe. He said he had been in the business since five years now. He said he bought the drugs from Head Bridge to sell at Inland Town.
Other suspects paraded alongside Ibis were Monday Eze from Delta and Ojuma Uche from Ndokwa East as well as a full load of Cannabis Sativa in a Toyota Avalon with Registration Number BEN 988 AE Eze and Ojuma were conveying to Owerre , Imo State.
Eze and Ojuma confessed to the crime saying it was lack of job that pushed them into the crime even though Ojuma said Eze was his friend that he joined him on the trip.
Parading the suspects before newsmen yesterday in Awka, the Anambra State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Sule Mamodu said Ojuma and Eze were arrested at Okija on transit from Edo State with 124.3 kg of Cannabis Sativa, adding that the courier of the illicit drug was a Chemist. He said they would be charged.
On Chukwuma, Mr. Mamodu said he was arrested previously for armed robbery in Lagos and he said he went for the robbery to settle a case and his case was still pending before he was caught selling Cannabis Sativa weighing 1.790 kg as a recharge card seller at Inland Town, Onitsha. Mamodu said the agency would ensure he did not enjoy bail until he was prosecuted, being a second time offender.
Momodu announced that the command arrested a total of 289 suspects in 2015 of which 268 were males and 21 were females against 395 suspects they arrested in 2014of which 354 were males and 41 females. He also said the command seized a total of 458.622kg of illicit drugs in 2015 as against 704.689kg in 2014. This he said was a significant indication that the command is working hard to reduce illicit drugs trafficking and abuse.
He gave a breakdown of drugs seized in 2015 as 455.144kg for Cannabis Sativa; 196.6 grms of Cocaine; 156.9 grms of Heroin and Psychotropic substance 3.125kg while that of 2014 were 704.38 kg of Cannabis Sativa ; 117.3 grms of Cocaine ; 16.6 grms of Heroin and 117.2 grms of Psychotropic substance. He said from their figures the youths were mainly culprits of the illicit drug business, encouraging parents to monitor the activities of their wards to enable them detect on time when they have deviated and gone into drugs to avoid being addicted.
He decried the shortage of judges in the Federal High Court Awka which had only two Judges, hence the Agency had about 60 cases pending at the High Court in Awka, praying for more judges to be posted to the Awka Federal High Court for quicker dispensation of justice.
While thanking Governor Willie Obiano for his support to the Agency, the NDLEA Boss appealed to Obiano to fulfill his promise of donating five surveillance vehicles to the agency and motorcycles since no development can come without security especially when every crime is linked to drugs either abuse, addiction or related matters. (Thisday)
