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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja and Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday gave the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, permission to destroy forfeited narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, weighing 15.660kg and valued at about N150million. Justice Inyang Ekwo in a ruling granted an order for forfeiture and leave to destroy the drug sought by the NDLEA in an ex-parte application argued by a senior lawyer to the agency, Mike Kassa.
In the application marked: FJC/ABJ/CS/1142021, the NDLEA prayed for “an order for forfeiture and leave to destroy, by burning in a public place, all narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances tendered in cases already prosecuted to conclusion in Abuja from January 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020 by the agency, weighing 15.660kg.”
The NDLEA, in a supporting affidavit, said the drugs and psychotropic substances were seized by operatives at its Abuja command in the course of their operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. It stated that the cases, in respect of which the drugs and psychotropic substances were seized, have all been concluded and that no appeals were pending in respect of the cases.
Meanwhile, a non-governmental organisation, CITAR has described the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd) as a round peg in a round hole because of his proactive feat so far in tackling drug trafficking in the country within the shortest time of his appointment. A statement by the leader of the NGO, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said there is no appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari that is so fitting in recent time like that of Marwa. Yakubu said for the NDLEA boss to make seizures worth billions of naira as soon as he assumed office, “shows that he is a round peg in a round hole”, adding that well meaning Nigerians should join hands with him to save the country from the hands of drug cartels. The group said that the appointment is timely because it’s coming at a time when the threat of drug scourge in the nation is at an all time high.
“General Mohamed Buba Marwa is eminently qualified to address these challenges of drug scourge, with the support of Mr. President and all Nigerians. His credible and pragmatic leadership antecedents, his robust military strategy and experiences and his diplomatic credentials will be handy to handle this onerous task.”
“We call on the federal government to, without delay, improve funding of the agency, provide adequate training for its staff, enhance their welfare to prevent compromise and implement policies that will boost its global collaborations and initiate funding support from international partners, for effective anti-drug campaigns in Nigeria.”
