The Federal High court in Lagos has summoned top officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos following a N3.7million bribery allegation by a convict, Mrs. Fatima Hassan.
Justice Akintayo Aluko invited the Lagos State Commander of the Agency, Umar Isa Adoro; the Officer-in-Charge (O/C) of Squad A (Chief Superintendent of Narcotics, CSN) Quatu Mohammed and one ‘Officer Sanni’ to respond to the claim.
Mrs Hassan, a mother of three, alleged that Sanni, who she described as the IPO (Investigative Officer) for her case, extorted N3.7million from her family.
She alleged that she was in the NDLEA’s custody for allegedly dealing in Cannabis Sativa, otherwise known as Indian Hemp.
She said Sanni asked for the money under the guise of using same to facilitate her bail for a drug-related offence but that she was neither granted bail nor was the sum returned to her.
She told the court that the NDLEA declared N2.7million of the sum as proceeds of crime, while it kept back N1million.
The allegations arose in the course of Hassan’s prosecution by the NDLEA on charge marked FHC/L/CS/290C/2022 before Justice Aluko.
She was arraigned on a one-count charge of dealing in 33.5 kg of Cannabis Sativa without lawful authority, contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act.
Hassan pleaded guilty and was convicted.
The judge sentenced Mrs. Hassan to four years imprisonment on the one count charge with an option of payment of a fine in the sum of N1million.
He said the sentence “shall run from the date of the arrest and detention of the convict. If the convict elects to pay a fine, in addition, the convict is sentenced to perform community service by picking up refuse, sweeping and clearing drainages under Eti-Osa LGA Lagos for a period of one month. She shall perform community service for 1 hour daily for 2 days of each week for 4 weeks. The convict shall produce a guarantor who shall undertake to produce her if she absconds from such service.”
