NDLEA Arraigns Drug Barons

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned two alleged drug barons, Chinedu Eze and  Chidiebere Nwobodo, before the Federal High Court in Lagos for the unlawful exportation of the banned substance, Methamphetamine

Eze and Nwobodo are before Justice Daniel Osiagor on a two-count charge of conspiracy and drug trafficking.

The prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu, had told the judge that the defendants conspired with one Fredrick Obunwa (now at large) to export 30.10 Kilograms of Methamphetamine to London in the United Kingdom (UK) illegally.

Nwagu claimed that the defendants were arrested on May 16, 2923, at SAHCOL Export Shed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja, during the examination and clearing of cargo for export to London.

The prosecutor maintained that the offences contravened sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following their plea, the Nwagu urged the court to fix a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) until the determination of the charge.

But the defence lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, told the court that he is not opposed to the request for a trial date but that he had filed bail applications on behalf of his clients and that copies have been served on the prosecution.

Justice Osiagor, in his ruling, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum each.

The judge further ordered that the surety be a property owner within the court‘s jurisdiction or a civil servant not below Grade Level 12 in the Lagos State or federal government establishment.