NDLEA: 149 drug dealers jailed in 2015

As contained in a statement, the anti-graft agency said three of the offenders were jailed for life.

The Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday, Jan. 4, disclosed that no less than 149 drug dealers were convicted in 2015.

As contained in a statement, the anti-graft agency said three of the offenders were jailed for life.

"One of the convicts will spend 25 years behind bars and another will spend 17 years in prison,” a statement by agency’s spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju.

"Four others got 15 years each. Another four convicts were sentenced to 10 years each while 19 others got five years each,” the statement said.

Reacting to the convictions, acting Chairman of the NDLEA, Roli Bode-George, said it will serve as deterrent to those who are still committing the crime or planning to.

“These convictions are strong enough to deter other from drug trafficking.

“This is highly impressive and motivating to the agency for the time and material resources spent in arrest and prosecution of drug dealers,” she said.

READ: Nigerian man to die by hanging over drug trafficking charges in Malaysia

The Lagos State commander of the agency, Sule Aliyu‎, said about 164 other cases were pending as at December 31, 2015.

“The command in 2015 also seized a total 7,345.87 kilogrammes of various narcotic drugs mainly cannabis which is commonly called hemp and arrested 531 suspected drug dealers comprising 507 males and 24 females,” he said.

Some of the culprits who bagged life sentence inlcude; Abiodun Elemoro, 29, of Palm Church Street, Lagos Island, convicted on January 29, 2015 for being in possession of 30.5 grammes of cocaine; Sule Ibrahim, 37, of Mopo Alayo village Okun Ajah Lagos, convicted October 20, 2015 for possessing 11.8kg of cannabis and; Aluagwu Lawrence, 32, of Iju Ishaga Lagos convicted December 9, 2015 for possessing 220 grammes of cannabis.

Also, Amaechi Igwe, 37, of Mile 12 Market, Lagos got twenty-five years imprisonment for dealing in 2.7 grammes of cocaine.

According to the NDLEA, it surpassed the 2014 number of convictions, describing the 2015 record 'massive'.