National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday arraigned a 30-year-old trader, Christopher Nwudele, before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in 52.10 kilograms of Ephedrine.
Nwudele was docked before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, on a one-count charge of unlawful exportation of Ephedrine, a powdery substance used in producing a hard drug known as methamphetamine, a drug similar to Cocaine and heroin.
The prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu had informed the judge that the defendant, a trader at International Trade Fair, Alaba, committed the offence on February 1, 2023, at the SAHCO Export Shed, of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the examination and clearing of cargo.
Nwagu also stated that the offence contravened section 20(1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and it is punishable under section 20(2)(a) of the same Act.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, a development that made the prosecutor to asked the court for a trial date and that defendant be kept in prison pending the conclusion of the trial
However, the defence counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara, informed the court that he had filed and served on the prosecutor his client’s bail application, the position which the prosecutor confirmed.
After listening to arguments on the application, Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned to May 12 for ruling.
The judge also ordered that the defendant should be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) until his ruling is delivered.
The charge against the defendant reads: “that you, Nwudele Basil Christopher, Male, 30 years old, on or about the 1st day of February 2023, during the examination and clearing of cargo at SAHCO Export Shed at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority exported 52.10kilogrammes of Ephedrine, a precursor chemical listed in the second schedule of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 20(1)(a) and punishable under section 20(2)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
