Judge challenges NDLEA to arrest ‘big guys’ involved in drug peddling

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, challenged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to put in more efforts to arrest the “big guys” involved in drug peddling in Nigeria.
“It is high time the agency arrests the big guys in the business.
“The NDLEA must also ensure proper records of convicts to avoid cases of drug suspects brought before the court pleading to be first time offenders,” he said.
He made the call during the conviction of a 38-year-old father of two children charged with possession of 307g of cannabis sativa in Mpape area of Abuja.
The convict, Emmanuel Okorie, who pleaded guilty was sentence to four months imprisonment with an option to pay N30,000 fine which is to be paid to the Federal Government.
The NDLEA said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act.
Earlier, prosecution counsel, Mr Lateef Lawal, urged the court to convict the defendant and sentence him summarily.
Okorie’s counsel, D.I Bayetemisi, pleaded with the court to be lenient, saying the defendant was a first offender.
Justice Taiwo said notwithstanding the quantity of the drugs which was minimal, the law must take it cause.
“The law is the law and must be enforced for the sanity of the society,” he said.