Notorious Drug Kingpins Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Cocaine Trafficking

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has achieved a significant milestone in the fight against drug-related crimes in Nigeria by securing life imprisonment sentences for two notorious drug kingpins, Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian and Agbo Chidike Prince……READ ALSO

According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Uwaezuoke was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on March 19, 2022, while attempting to smuggle 100 large wraps of cocaine, weighing 2.243 kilograms. Despite initially pleading not guilty and absconding after being granted bail, he was rearrested on August 1, 2023, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Subsequently, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on March 20, 2024, by Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Similarly, Agbo Chidike Prince was caught at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on October 21, 2023, with 49 wraps of cocaine weighing 998.73 grams. Despite his plea for leniency, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on April 15, 2024, by Justice Abdulmalik, highlighting the gravity of his offense.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the agency’s Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their diligent prosecution of these high-profile cases. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to intensifying enforcement activities nationwide to combat the illicit drug trade effectively.

In other enforcement operations, the NDLEA made significant arrests across Nigeria, including Yahaya Danjuma Oturah at Lagos airport with 4,000 pills of tramadol destined for Italy, Jennifer Iliya for producing and distributing cannabis-laced cakes in Bayelsa, and the seizure of 310.7 kg of cannabis in raids in Mushin, Lagos.