Illicit Drugs: NDLEA arraigns 10 suspects in Anambra

THE Anambra State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arraigned ten male defendants before Justice Ibrahim Gafai of the Federal High Court, Awka, for unlawful possession of illicit drugs.

The suspects include Echezona Anazodo, aged thirty-seven, arrested with three hundred grams of Cannabis Sativa, Chigozie Okeke, aged twenty-one, arrested at Onitsha Motor Park with three hundred grams of Cannabis sativa, Ngozi Dike, aged thirty who hails from Imo State, and was arrested at Onitsha Motor Park with one point nine grams of cocaine.

Others are Owen Bosah, age fifty-five, arrested with zero point six grams of heroin, Nnamdi Nwafor, aged thirty-six, who was arrested at Aba Motor Park, Onitsha with eight point four grams of cocaine and two point two grams of heroin, thirty-year-old Udekwe Onuorah from Nando, who was allegedly arrested with two grams of cocaine, and Umeh Arinze, aged thirty-seven, arrested with four points one gram of heroin.

All pleaded not guilty, while Paul Odo, arrested with three hundred and twenty grams of Cannabis sativa, Okwudili Chukwudim, arrested at Ihiala Motor Park with three hundred grams of Cannabis sativa, pleaded
guilty of reasons.

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Appearance was also made for Arinze Nwabueze, who was granted bail but did not appear in court.

According to the Head of the Legal Department of the NDLEA, Anambra State Command, Barrister Patrick Echuwa, within the first quarter alone, about thirty five arrests have been made, with about fourteen convictions, stressing that from the records, cases of illicit drug business is on the rise, despite several prosecutions by the command, calling for more support by stakeholders to reverse the situation.

He expressed optimism that convictions will be made by the court to serve as a deterrent.

Various dates of hearing were given by Justice Ibrahim Gafai including the tenth of May, twenty-second, twenty-fourth, as well as sixth and seventh June two thousand and eighteen, for hearing of the cases.