The Kano State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced it has secured multiple convictions in a single day.

This was disclosed by the Public Relations Officer of the NDLEA Kano State Command, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, in a statement issued on Thursday.

Maigatari highlighted that the Agency’s recent convictions demonstrate its unwavering commitment to the rule of law and a strict zero-tolerance policy towards drug offences.

“The Agency secured multiple convictions in one day, underscoring our resolve to maintain law and order and rid society of drug traffickers,” he said.

Among those convicted was a 25-year-old, Ibrahim Tahir, who was found guilty on three separate drug-related charges. Each count carries a three-year sentence, to be served consecutively, resulting in a total of nine years in prison.

In another case, James Temitope Ajayi, a 40-year-old ex-convict and notorious distributor of Cannabis Sativa, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for trafficking illicit substances. Maigatari noted that Temitope’s conviction was particularly significant given his history of cross-regional drug trafficking.

The NDLEA PRO further revealed that the convictions have effectively disrupted a major drug supply chain, helping to protect communities from the dangers of illicit substances.

“These convictions are part of our consistent efforts to disrupt major supply chains and safeguard communities from the devastating impact of drug abuse,” Maigatari added.

Additionally, two other offenders, Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 40, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were each sentenced to six years in prison for drug-related crimes.

The court ruled that none of the convicts were given the option of a fine, sending a strong message to potential offenders about the seriousness of drug-related crimes.

Maigatari emphasised that the swift administration of justice in these cases reinforces the message that crime does not pay.

“By holding offenders accountable for their actions, Justice Shuaibu is contributing to a safer, more just society,” he noted.

The State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. CN AI Ahmad, lauded the support of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), whose backing has been instrumental in achieving these milestones. Ahmad also expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, for his dedication to combating drug abuse in the state.

Ahmad further acknowledged the crucial role played by Justice Shuaibu and the Command’s prosecution and legal services unit in securing the convictions, adding that the NDLEA remains committed to upholding the law and ensuring a drug-free society.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter, a 29-year-old Thailand returnee, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, for smuggling heroin valued at over N3.1 billion.

The arrest took place on October 7, 2024, as revealed by the NDLEA in an official statement.

Oguejiofor, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, arrived in Lagos on October 5, 2024, after flying from Thailand via Qatar Airways.

His journey included a stopover in Doha, and his luggage was initially routed to Accra, Ghana. However, he later requested for the bags to be redirected to Lagos.

Upon retrieving his luggage, NDLEA officers intercepted him and conducted a thorough search. Six backpacks concealed within two large suitcases were discovered, each containing neatly sewn parcels of heroin. The total weight of the heroin amounted to 13.30 kilograms.

In his confession, Oguejiofor admitted to being hired for $7,000 to smuggle the drugs. “I was meant to deliver two parcels in Lagos and four in Accra,” he confessed.

Seizures at seaports 

In a separate but related operation, NDLEA officers intercepted large quantities of opioids at the Lekki Deep Seaport, Apapa Seaport, and Port Harcourt Port Complex (Onne) between October 7 and 11, 2024. The seized drugs included 32.6 million tramadol pills, valued at over N12.57 billion, and 1.45 million bottles of codeine-based syrup, worth N10.16 billion.

The total value of the intercepted opioids across the three seaports amounted to N22.7 billion. According to NDLEA, the consignments were flagged through intelligence and subjected to a 100 per cent joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.

Other arrests

In addition to these seizures, the NDLEA arrested Okelue Chidera, a 29-year-old suspect, in Anambra State with 50,000 tramadol tablets.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives recovered 1,050 kilograms of cannabis at a transit point in Owan West Local Government Area. Another raid in Owan Village led to the arrest of Monday Akele, 38, with 110 kilograms of cannabis.

NDLEA’s fight against drug abuse 

The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across the country, with educational outreach programs conducted in several schools and communities in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Niger, Oyo, Ebonyi, Edo, and Abuja. These programs aim to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of staying drug-free.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, praised the officers for their efforts in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction initiatives.

“The operational successes and balanced approach of our officers are commendable, especially with the increasing scale of these interceptions,” Marwa said. 

Oludayo Adeagbo, a 45-year-old Nigerian-British man, has been sentenced to seven years in a US prison over involvement in a “multimillion-dollar business email compromise (BEC) scheme”.

WHAT IS A BEC SCHEME?

A BEC scheme, also referred to as cyber-enabled financial fraud, is a sophisticated scam that often targets individuals, employees, or businesses involved in financial transactions, or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments.

There are many variations of BEC scams. Generally, the schemes involve perpetrators gaining unauthorised access to legitimate email accounts or creating email accounts that closely resemble those of individuals or employees associated with the targeted businesses.

The scammers then use the compromised or fake email accounts to send false wiring instructions to the targeted businesses or individuals, to con the victims into sending money to bank accounts controlled by perpetrators of the scheme.

Generally, the money is quickly transferred to other accounts in the United States or overseas.

‘AN EPIDEMIC’

A statement issued by the US department of justice says court documents show that Adeagbo conspired to participate in multiple cyber-enabled BEC schemes in an attempt to steal more than $3 million from entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies, and a Houston-area college.

Adeagbo and his conspirators also allegedly defrauded a North Carolina university of more than $1.9 million.

Adeagbo was said to have arrived in the US in August 2022 after he was extradited from the United Kingdom to face criminal charges filed in Charlotte and Houston.

The justice department said Adeagbo pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his criminal conduct in both cases on August 8, following the transfer of the case in the US district court for the southern district of Texas to the US district court for the western district of North Carolina.

“Oludayo Adeagbo and his coconspirators perpetrated transnational cyber-enabled fraud schemes that targeted schools, government entities, and companies across the United States, and caused millions of dollars in losses,” Nicole Argentieri, head of the justice department’s criminal division, said.

“Adeagbo’s extradition, plea, and sentencing underscore the criminal division’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue cybercriminals who target American victims, no matter where that pursuit leads.

“We are especially grateful to the government of the United Kingdom for its assistance in this case.”

Alamdar S. Hamdani, attorney for the southern district of Texas, said Adeagbo “ran a sophisticated 21st-century cyber-criminal operation hiding behind fake email accounts and anonymous internet addresses to steal from the innocent, a crime as old as time itself”.

“BEC scams have become an epidemic with individuals and businesses suffering debilitating financial losses, while eroding society’s trust in digital communications and undermining overall economic stability,” Hamdani said.

“That’s why prosecutors and agents in two jurisdictions worked tirelessly to identify Adeagbo and reach across the Atlantic to bring him to justice.”