₦airaland Forum

The fact that Agbari Ojukwu, Nnamdi Azikwe and Chinua Achebe committed suicide does not mean that all Nigerians will do same. Since you jobless IPOB wants to die, peacefully march to Aso Rock and let the Nigerian Army use you all for shooting practice.

Timoviral:
www.nairaland.com/2744041/see-how-much-gov-iyesom

If Zenith Bank gives Iyesom Wike the wicked that money, that means that Zenith Bank has donated to charity and their reward and repayment is in heaven because the incoming APC governor will never ever, read my lips, the incoming APC governor will never ever repay one kobo.

hinwazaka:
This is how they tried to kill Akpabio before he went for his trip abroad. This bast@rd we call our President has brought back the days of political assassinations. God will punish the 15 million Nigerians who thumbed us back to Egypt and pharoah.

Yes, they tried to kill Akpabio by making Akpabio's driver to ignore the traffic light and make his car somersault. This guy is also someone's child, I am sure his parents must have spent a lot of money to send him to school. Now, look at the nonentity that he has become. You mentioned the over 15 million Nigerians that voted for Buhari, the devil will punish your generation for speaking ill of us. Goatluck is still alive in Otuoke, you can join him there or join the senseless Biafra protesters and be shot by Nigerian Army, your blood will be sacrificed to the god of iron.

himkers:
Are you a bug?

Yes, she is a bedbug and otapiapia kills bedbugs.

The Federal High Court says contrary to The PUNCH’s story, ‘Judicial sympathy: Drug convicts get warning as punishment’ published on October 19, 2015, its judges have been passing maximum sentence on drug convicts, citing two examples from last year and three in 2015, ADE ADESOMOJU reports

It is “far from the truth”, that is how the Federal High Court authorities have described The PUNCH’s story, ‘Judicial sympathy: Drug convicts get warning as punishment’, published on October 19, 2015, revealing lopsidedness and disregard for the provisions of the law in the sentencing of drug convicts.

The story, which focused on the convictions recorded by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency in 2014, had indicated that the Federal High Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction on narcotic cases, imposed light sentences on convicts far below that stipulated by the law.

But in response to the story, the Federal High Court, through its Chief Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie, said its judges, particularly Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, “have been sentencing drug convicts to maximum sentences, including life imprisonment with hard labour.”

Our correspondent reported that 2,051 convictions were recorded by the NDLEA last year.

The record of this year’s conviction had not been obtained by our correspondent as of the time of filing the October 19, 2015 report.

The Federal High Court, in its response, cited two examples of maximum sentences passed by the court last year and three this year but was silent on the non-conformity to the NDLEA Act in the majority of the convictions recorded in 2014.

Incidentally, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, whose judgment was part of those highlighted in the October 19 report, had, by the record of the Federal High Court, imposed maximum sentences this year.

While the first was passed in January this year, the second was on October 20, the day after The PUNCH’s story.

The Federal High Court’s statement read in full, “The attention of the Federal High Court has been drawn to a report published in The Punch Newspaper of Monday, October 19, 2015, with regard to sentencing of drug convicts by judges of the Federal High Court.

“Regretfully, this publication is far from the truth.

“The truth is that judges of the Federal High Court, including but not limited to Hon. Justice R.N. Ofili Ajumogobia, have been sentencing drug convicts to maximum sentence including life imprisonment with hard labour as can be seen from the following cases:

“1. FHC/L/146/2014: Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Abiodun Elemoro – Hon. Justice. R.N. Ofili-Ajumogobia sentenced the convict to life imprisonment with hard labour on January 29, 2015.

“2.FHC/ABJ/CR/119/14: Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Okereke Osita Promise – Hon. Justice G.O. Kolawole sentenced the accused to nine years imprisonment with hard labour on October 22, 2015

“3. FHC/LF/CR/1/12: Justice A.A. Okeke sentenced the accused to 15 years imprisonment on October 27, 2014.

“4. Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Sule Ibrahim, Hon. Justice R.N. Ofili-Ajumogobia sentenced the convict to life imprisonment on October 20, 2015.

“5. FHC/ABJ/CR/193/2013: Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Chukwuemezie – Hon. Justice A.F.A. Ademola sentenced the accused to life imprisonment on January 29, 2014.

“From the above sundry instances it can be deduced that the publication is vexatious and an attempt portray the Federal High Court in bad light.

“The publishers are advised to always approach the court for confirmation of any information they may wish to publish for public consumption so as to ascertain the authenticity of such information.”

The two sentences for last year were part of the few, which their details were not captured in the records of NDLEA’s convictions obtained by our correspondent.

Light sentences continue in 2015

Records of conviction for year 2015 showed that the trend of light sentences imposed by the Federal High Court contrary to provisions of the NDLEA Act has virtually remained unchanged.

The NDLEA’s spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the agency had, from available records up till last week, recorded 1,123 convictions.

He said, “Since January to date the Agency has won over 1,123 convictions. However, while some are high others are very low.

“For example, out of 13 convictions in the month of August 2015; two convicts were sentenced to 10 years each, one got six years, another got two years, six others got one year each and three got six months each.

“It is clear from the above examples that low sentence is one of the reasons drug convicts go back to drug trafficking. Another reason is lack of reformation or rehabilitation of convicts.”

Meanwhile, aside the October 20 judgment by Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, other judges too have passed sentences of significant jail terms on convicts after the October 19 story.

For instance, on November 2, Justice Musa Kurya of a Federal High Court in Lagos convicted a businessman, Chibueze Oneigbo, for trafficking 210 grammes of cocaine and jailed him for 10 years.

Also on November 3, Justice John Tsoho of the same Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, sentenced one Ifenna Emmanuel to a jail term of 20 years for attempting to export 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine to China.

Convicts get re-arrested

Ofoyeju said culprits convicted for drug offences would often go back to the crime because of the light sentences imposed on them on their previous convictions.

He said, “It happens all the time. A good example is that of 53-year-old Ejike Martins and 35-year-old ThankGod Obums who were caught along Emir Road, Sabon Gari, in a dark green Mercedes Benz Car with registration number AA809AJG containing compressed 104 blocks of Cannabis sativa weighing 66 kilogrammes.

“Both suspects had been convicted in the past for drug-related offences. In 1982, Mr. Martins, who hails from Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State was arrested at the Lagos airport in 2005 by NDLEA officials on his way to Spain with 1kg of cocaine. He was charged to court and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment but he mischievously evaded the jail term.

“Three months after his criminal jail evasion, he was again apprehended at the Kano airport with 4kg of cocaine. This second arrest was what made the NDLEA to uncover the jail evasion cartel in 2007. Ejike was sentenced to five years jail term for smuggling 4kg of cocaine found on him at the Kano Airport. The charge number is FHC/IL/CR/183/2007, FGN VS Ejike Martins.

“On completion of his five years jail term, Mr. Martins was re-arrested by NDLEA officials at the gate of the Kano Prisons and taken to Lagos to complete his initial jail term. After completing the arrears of his sentence, he regained his freedom in January 2014. Still not remorseful, Ejike went back to drug trafficking. This time round, he connived with one ThankGod Obums to smuggle cannabis from Edo State to Kano. He is currently being prosecuted in Kano.

“Mr. Obums, an indigene of Delta State, who dropped out from Delta State University in 2003, was first arrested for dealing in cannabis in Kano. He was convicted but given an option of fine. After spending three months in the prison custody, he regained his freedom after the wife paid the fine of N350,000.

“It is clear from the above examples that low sentence is one of the reasons drug convicts go back to drug trafficking. Another reason is lack of reformation or rehabilitation of convicts.”

Lenient judgment made Nigeria drug-consumption country

A human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana also corroborated Ofoyeju’s view by attributing the nation’s drug-consumption status to lenient sentencing passed on convicts by the Federal High Court.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he had in 2013 written the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), on the need for the implementation of the report by Justice Gilbert Obayan (retd.)-led National Committee for the Reform of NDLEA.

The report issued in February 2007 catalogued various sharp practices engaged in by lawyers and other officers of the agency.

Speaking with our correspondent, Falana called on the National Judicial Council, the body saddled with appointment, promotion and disciplining of judicial officers, to check the trend of light sentencing on drug convicts.

He said the light sentence, which some drug convicts got away with, had heightened the problem of drug trafficking in the country.

He said, “The timely publication by The PUNCH has only revealed a tip of the iceberg of the scandalous sentencing by the Federal High Court in drug-related cases which has accentuated drug trafficking in the country. Before now, Nigeria was a transit country, but because of the lenient sentencing policy of the Federal High Court, our country has since become a drug-consuming nation to the detriment of the moral integrity of our people.

“I am calling on the National Judicial Council to halt the dangerous phenomenon in the interest of our innocent youths.

“What The PUNCH reported was light sentencing without taking cognisance of those who were convicted but who were never found in any prison in the country yet there was no option of fine.”

NDLEA too is to blame

Falana said the judiciary was not solely responsible for the problem of light sentencing, but prosecutors too shared part of the blame.

“You cannot blame the judiciary alone as the NDLEA prosecutors are part of the questionable plea bargain arrangement that often leads to such lenient sentencing,” the senior advocate said.

However, on the Obayan Report, which recommended sanction for some of the drug offences prosecutors, Ofoyeju said it was not the NDLEA’s responsibility to implement the recommendations, which he said had been overtaken by events.

Ofoyeju said, “Obayan report was not for the NDLEA to implement. It was submitted to the then Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bayo Ojo (SAN), who constituted the panel.

“It is important to note that the Obayan Report has been overtaken by events. The office of the Solicitor General had stated since 2013 that the implementation of the report will add no more value to the reality on ground in the NDLEA.”



SOURCE: http://punchng.com/we-pass-maximum-sentence-on-drug-convicts-fhc/

hinwazaka:
This President is a bast@rd and a stup1d liar. This is not what he said 2 weeks ago
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/fg-to-pay-oil-marketers-n413bn-subsidy-debts-as/
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/fg-approves-immediate-payment-of-n413bn-subsidy-claims/224745/
If he knows he doesn't want to pay them, why not just come out and tell Nigerians you don't trust the marketers and you would like them to go to hell. Grow some balls and act like a man, for once in your miserable life. But instead of taking a stand, the fool, decided to do nothing, while allowing the situation to denigrate to this state. Now the ediot wants to use this his Mr Integrity bullshit to deceive his sheepish followers. God will punish him, his wife, his family and the entire APC. Rubbish

This guy too na somebody pikin. And the parents threw a big party when he was born not knowing that he will grow up and become a drug addict. Stories that touch the heart.

EternalTruths:
You can help the military do it


War criminals are about to be created.


I pity Buhari's final days on earth


Imagine going from presidency to prison.

Yorubas/Hausas/Fulanis used over 3 million stubborn Ibos for pepper soup and suya between 1967 and 1970 and nothing happened. If you do anyhow again, you shall see anyhow. This time around we shall wipe you out of Nigerian map completely and use you erosion ravaged land for planting weed, I mean Warri weed, smoke one, go mad.

Dahjhi:
[size=20pt]WHY SHOULD I BELIEF IT WILL HAPPEN?[/size]

We told you that we are sending Goatluck Jona-daft back to his village, you never believed, but we did it. We told you that we shall lock up the albino called Nnamdi Kanu if he steps his legs on Nigerian soil, you never believed, but we did it. Now, it's time you start believing us.

DikeOha882:
Robbery attack happening now in festac, so for nairalanders entering festac needs to wait for now. Thanks

Lalasticala
Afam4eva

Biafrans doing what they know how to do best after drug trafficking.

I am a Muslim. Will I accept Syrian refugees in to my house? Never ever. Even Saudi Arabian government will not take them in.

jcmaiah:
It would be recalled that the governor at the
Hero’s square during the Teachers Day
Celebration declared that he will transfer some
teachers to Adamawa State, adding that some
teachers here are idle.

Igbolive learnt that any school that is less than
80 will be closed down as teachers in such
schools will be forced to go on transfer to
somewhere else, even outside the state.
.

Can you imagine some schools having less than 80 students? 80 students divided by 6 classes (i.e. primary 1 to 6)= 13.33. That means some schools have an average of 13.33 students per level and there are teachers earning salary monthly in that school. Wont it be economical to merge those schools? My brothers and sisters, should we see everything only from political perspective?

stevoski059:
may be cos ,they have been knwn to run down any business they manage.

Yes, you are right, Yorubas ran down ACB, the only bank owned by the Old Eastern Region whereas the bank owned by the Old Western Region (National Bank now merged with Wema Bank) is still growing up till this very second. Why are all Ibos stupid just like Ojukwu, Azikwe, Anyaokwu and Ekweme?

TonyeBarcanista:
My brother, I love Charles(and Henry) Okah for their roles in the Niger-Delta and Ijaw struggle. I condemn the October 1 bombing in its entirety but I think it will be inappropriate to tag him a terrorist. For heaven sake, when MEND wanted to strike the venue, they sent text message to DSS, Police and Journalists that they are striking the Car park and other targets at so-so time. The failure of DSS, Police and co to act on the intelligence led to loss of lives(which again is very sad). Anyway, I wont fault you for calling them terrorists, afterall their group's action led to people's demise. But the attack in Abuja in my opinion has no connection of Niger-Delta struggle

MEND is not a terrorist organization. The reason is obvious. MEND members are not Muslims. Only Muslims are terrorists. FOOLS. Anyone who kills other people who have not committed any crime/sin against him is a terrorist. The people that MEND killed in the October bomb blast did not commit any crime/sin against MEND. How many Army Chiefs were killed in the October 1st bomb blast? None. How many Police Chiefs were killed in the October 1st bomb blast? None. How many Naval Chiefs were killed in the October 1st bomb blast? None. How many politicians who have been looting our country's treasury were killed in the October 1st bomb blast? None. MEND is a terrorist organization that should be charged at the International Criminal Court.

Journalist should stop confusing the public and feeding the public with lies. There is no Afenifere. The old Afenifere has been disbanded. There last selfish leader resigned in shame few weeks ago. This so called Chief Adebanjo collected millions of dollars from Goatluck Jonascam just like other smart guys all round the country did. The old Afenifere lined up behind PDP against APC. The APC led by the real evil genius, the Jagaban Borgu humiliated and disgraced the old Afenifere and the PDP.

What is Afenifere? Is it the name of a person, animal, place or thing?

Jacide:
All hail Fayose. The only Yoruba man that doesn't shit in his pant and wiggle his tail at the mention of their fulani slave masters. The only Yoruba politician that is greater than Awolowo.

Happy birthday Temitemi's role model
.

This is the type of statements that made Awolowo and Obasanjo to use over 3 million stubborn Ibos for pepper soup and suya between 1967 and 1970.

hinwazaka:
This can never happen. Because Osinbanjo is backed by a race of COWARDS and SPINELESS WASPS. Unlike the brave Igbo race, who took to the street to protest the abuse of the constitution by the Yaradua cabal, if such a situation repeats itself, expect the wife of the President to take up the position of President, and the cowardly Yoruba tribe to follow blindly.

This is the type of statements that made Awolowo and Obasanjo to use over 3 million stubborn Ibos for pepper soup and suya between 1967 and 1970.

9jatatafo:
In between the legs of an adulterous woman is a high way to grave. OP you are happy that you fuc,ked another man's wife. Your own will be treated the same way. You rode a horse to Bleep someone's wife, a man will ride a cat to Bleep your wife too. The sad part is that you called yourself unilagfreshest but you unilaguntudiest

My guy, why you dey drink otapiapia for another man's headache na? Na you wife dem fvck? The fvcker is not gulity, only the fvckee is. Can you recollect that the Bible did not say anything about the man that was sleeping with the adulterous woman?

Please has Nyesom WIke the wicked sent his congratulatory message to Oluwarotimi Amaechi? He better does quickly before the Lion grounds his plane, boat, car and even legs because all means of transport including trekking are under Amaechi.

menabadoo:
Will be there life and direct. Biafra or death.

Very good. There is great power in the tongue. We Nigerians love you Ibos, we wish for you what you wish for yourself. You have wished for Biafra or death just as you wished in 1967 and since we shall not give you Biafra, we shall be very happy to give you death. Between 1967 and 1970 we used over 3 million Ibos for suya and pepper soup, now about 20 million of you wish for death, please come over to Aso Rock, the pussy cat soldiers will be waiting for you. We shall kill you all and make sure your children never grow. We shall wipe you Nigerian Jews off Nigerian map once and for all. Bring it on, the Nigerian soldiers will use you all for shooting practice.

Mogidi:
FFK the next leader of the Yorubas

Yes, the next leader of the Yoruba motor park touts.

engrjacuzzi:
PMB not obeying federal character principle at all......arewa people just occupying every position.

You want him to make James Ibori, Lucky Igbenedion, Stella Oduah or Deizani the head of EFCC?

costandi:
The New EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu, 7 Things You Need To Know About Him:

1. Northerner

2. Northerner

3. Northerner

4. Northerner

5. Northerner

6. Northerner

7. Northerner

THE PAIN OF DEFEAT. YOU MAY NEVER GET OVER THE PAIN. THE SAME PAIN SENT DSP ALAMS TO GRAVE AND DEIZANI TO CANCER HOSPITAL. I PRAY IT DOES NOT SEND YOU TOO TO SIX FEET UNDER THE SOIL

desireoge:
Pls let's stop being sentimental about this. Even Treasury bill is not spared, its really serious, I don't think Buhari is competent

Please present your own candidate. Goatluck Jonascam, frog-eyed Deizani, the thieving princess Stella Oduah, the tout called Elder Orubebe, Nyesom Wike the wicked thief, or your humble self.

mazzi:
Chai,but we warned them about bubu but they didn't heed to our advice

If another election is held today, Buhari will still defeat your clueless drunk looter and his thieving light skinned girlfriends.

IndianaJay:
I'm glad no one liked this post.

No one likes to be associated with madness. The OP is definitely on cheap drugs and everyone is avoiding him like plague.

speedyGonzales:
You mean! Little girls who what to be thieves or fraudulent?

No, he is not talking about Biafran girls who dance on stages with only bra and pants in other to be Miss Nigeria, Miss Universe, Miss Africa, Miss Intercontiental and end up becoming baba mamas to sugar daddies.

dearsly:
I c nothing wrong wit the pix...
What will u say of igbo gurls like Afrocandy,cossy orjiako etc?
Out of the abundance of the heart,the mouth speaks

Prostitution is the only legal business Ibos do.

youngberry001:
Timaya ex



dat miss wey wear white shirt nah idol ne

May your enemies get eye problem, I beg look well, there is no Miss beside Empress. Empress just took a photo shot with a statue.

drsteroid:
I think NCC should have a rethink and temper justice with mercy because this will have a negative effect on our economy and may lead to massive Job loss if MTN decides 2 downsize as a result of this huge fine,and may throw many Nigerians into the labour market.

No way, we shall NEVER bend the rules for a South African company, never. South Africa and Ghana have both been very very hostile to Nigerians and Nigerians' businesses. About job losses? Don't worry, NITEL is rolling out it's mobile service very soon, so NITEL will absorb all MTN workers.

major466:
Jehovah witness for example do not believe that Jesus Christ is GOD. To them Jesus Christ is a created being just like arch Angel Micheal. This belief is contrary to John1:1.

Can you see why we Muslims laugh at you church goers? You just said that Jesus Christ is God. Allah forgive me for tying that rubbish. Jesus himself will deny you on the judgement day. Because Jesus never said that he was God. If any of Jesus disciples had said that after the death of Jesus, then Jesus will deny such a disciple. So, if you have any Bible passage that says that Jesus is God, then both the writer of the passage and the believers of such passage will be denied by Jesus on the judgement day. Jesus never said he was God or god.

Maxi112:
Yorouba and hausa/fulani should go and rest, we niger delta are tied of ur so called 1 nigeria... Take it or leave it

Yes, you are tired of one Nigeria now, but when your clueless son and his shameless illiterate Sheppopo wife were looting the Nigerian treasury you loved one Nigeria. If you start any rubbish again, we Yoruba/Hausa/Fulani will be happy to use several millions of you for pepper soup and suya once again.

The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a man, Ifenna Emmanuel, to 20 years imprisonment for attempting to export 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine to China.

Justice John Tsoho convicted him on a one-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The convict was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja (MMIA) on July 1, 2012, during outward clearance of passengers to China.

He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on December 18, 2012, and was granted bail.

However, he jumped bail, and failed to attend trial for about a year until he was re-arrested in Port Harcourt through the help of his brother who stood surety for him.

His offence, according to NDLEA prosecutor Oigoga Ichakpa, violated Section 11 (b) of the NDLEA Act of 2004.

Justice Tsoho ordered that the $1,000 recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government should there be no appeal against the judgment within 90 days.

He further directed that Emmanuel’s passport be withdrawn, and that all drugs recovered from him must be destroyed if the judgment is not appealed against.

Justice Tsoho faulted a medical report that was tendered by the defence counsel to show that the convict was seriously ill and was suffering from severe abdominal pain.

According to the judge, he had ordered the prison authorities to produce a medical report on Emmanuel’s health condition in June, but the order was not obeyed.

“The prison has not complied with that order as to the medical reports,” he said, adding that it was curious for the same prison to issue a medical report to the defence at the point of judgment.

The judge said the fact that the convict jumped bail, and was paid in dollars for cocaine trafficking, showed that he deserved no mercy despite claims that he has “a long standing history of severe upper abdominal pain.”

He, therefore, sentenced Emmanuel to 20 years jail term, which he said would take effect from the day he was re-arrested.

The judgment is coming a day after a 38-year-old man, Chibueze Onedigbo, was jailed for 10 years for drug trafficking by Justice Musa Kurya of the same court.


SOURCE: http://thenationonlineng.net/man-jailed-20-years-for-cocaine-trafficking-2/