SAHCO manager, others arraigned over alleged smuggling of banned drug

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on Tuesday arraigned an Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Skyway Handling Company, SAHCO, Olajide Ahmed Kafidipe, alongside seven staff members of the company on charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful importation, and possession of 1,440.90 kilograms of Tramadol.

They were arraigned before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Those arraigned alongside the AGM are Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele, Musa Mutalib Opeyemi, Sanamo Alla Daniel, Anuge Evans Isibor, Mahmud Agboola Musa, Udeh Felix and Obinna Henry.

Arraigning the defendants, the counsel for the NDLEA, Abu Ibrahim hinted that the defendants conspired with the trio of Mubarak Sarki Salami, Abdullahi Aliyu (a.k.a. Aboki), and Anwal Monday, who were also a staff of the company but now at large, to commit the offence on or about October 25, 2023.

Ibrahim also told Justice Dipeolu that the AGM alongside others conspired among themselves to transport 1,440.90 kilograms of Tramadol 225 mg, a Narcotic, from SAHCO Import Shed.

While insisting that the SAHCO AGM conspired with Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele, and procured one Lawal Itunu Temitope to transport the prohibited substance from SAHCO Import Shed in a Mercedes-Benz Bus with Registration Number LAGOS MUS 269 YC belonging to Platinum Pacific International Limited, the prosecutor notified the judge that Oladele, unlawfully possessed the said 1,440.90 kilograms of Tramadol 225 mg, a Narcotic Analgesic.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened Sections 14 (b), 21 (2)(d) and 20 (1)(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under Sections 11 (b) and 20 (2)(b) of the same Act.

But the Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

As a result of their plea position, the prosecutor urged the court to remand the Defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) until the hearing and determination of the charge against them.

However, the lawyers for the Defendants notified Justice Dipeolu that they had filed their clients’ bail application except that of the AGM, and Obinna Henry.

The counsels therefore asked the court for a short date, to enable them to file the bail applications for the duo.

As a result, the prosecutor urged the court to remand the Defendants in the NCoS’ custody until when the court would hear their bail applications.

But the trial judge ordered the operatives of the NDLEA to call their Airport Commander to allow the Defendants to be remanded in their custody until Wednesday when their bail applications would be heard and determined.

The matter has been adjourned until January 24, 2024, for the commencement of their trial.

Wole Shadare