By Taiye Agbaje

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, granted an application by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to destroy forfeited narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances, weighing 15.660kg and worth N150 million.

Delivering a ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo, gave the order for forfeiture and leave to destroy the drugs 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 Jan. 1, 2020 to Oct. 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, had all been concluded and that no appeals were pending in respect of the cases.

It listed the cases to which the forfeited items relate to include: “CR/96/2019 in which Angela Wairimu Gathanju, arrested on May 11, 2019 was convicted by Court 10 of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Jan. 17, 2020 for unlawful possession of 6.5/0kg of heroin; CR/136/2019 in which Emmanuel Ugochukwu Udeagwu was convicted by Court Seven of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 1, 2019 for unlawful possession of 3.1kg of cocaine.

“CR/172/2019 in which Ogbu Emeka Christian, arrested on July 17, 2019 was convicted by Court 4 of the Federal High Court, Abuja on March 17, 2020 for unlawful possession of 3kg of methamphitamine; CR/264/2019 in which Ibeh Augustine Chukwu, arrested on Oct. 20, 2019 was convicted by Court 3 of the Federal High Court, Abuja on June 17, 2020 for unlawful possession of 5kg of cocaine.

Others are Anifowose Oluwaseyi Omotayo, arrested on Oct. 25, 2017  convicted by Court 7 of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Jan. 7, 2020 for unlawful possession of 3kg of ephedrine and  1.9kg of cocaine.” (NAN)