Drug barons invade NDLEA, Giade’s cover up

Enemies within:

Barley three months when he stated in his petition to the Presidency and other stakeholders of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, that the  anti-drug agency has been invaded by the dreaded drug barons and the alleged cover-up of the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Agency, Mallam Ahmadu Giade, not many believed him.

But today, Mr. Paul Audu, Chief Superintendent of Narcotics of NDLEA, Taraba/Adamawa State Commands, has been vindicated, when last week; an NDLEA staff that specializes in passing drug traffickers at the airport was arrested making people including the Coalition against Corrupt

Leaders (CACOL) to now believed the whistleblower.

Ibidayin Godwin, an NDLEA operative attached to the Anambra State Command, was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Shed by NDLEA operatives.

 He allegedly flew into Lagos State after abandoning his duty post in Anambra to pass a drug trafficker who was to use the MMIA to his destination. He was quickly picked up for allegedly aiding and abetting a suspected drug trafficker one Adetoye Taiwa in smuggling 3kg of methamphetamine to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Our investigation revealed that Ibidayin was not alone in the scam. He mentioned   three other of his clandestine drug cartel in the scam as one, Taiwo Ososanya, Fatai Olawale Akera and Alhaji Yusuf Olayemi Bankole who are being quizzed by the NDLEA’s investigators. Our source in NDLEA told our correspondent that Ibidayin was alleging that he was going to mention other senior colleagues of him, in the court.

When our correspondent reached the NDLEA’s Spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, while already working on the story, a Press Release was sent to our correspondent on the matter, detailing the investigation of the agency and the promise by Giade to prosecute the officers involved in the scam. According to the Press Release made available to our correspondent, NDLEA boss, Ahmadu Giade said a staff of the Agency, would be prosecuted for allegedly aiding and abetting a suspected drug trafficker Adetoye Taiwa in smuggling 3kg of methamphetamine to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

According to Giade, the Agency would remain transparent in its operations and would spare no one found to be involved in drug trafficking. The indictment of Godwin is in line with our policy of follow-up operation on every arrest and seizure made.

“I have institutionalized a culture of transparency in the NDLEA. Anybody indicted must be thoroughly investigated no matter how highly placed and if found guilty the law will take its course. The Agency will continue to provide a level playing field for all. No stone must be left unturned in the quest for a drug-free society. We must bring every culprit to justice by turning our investigative search light in all directions,” Giade stated.

NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar said that more arrests have been made and investigation is ongoing. “We apprehended on Adetoye Taiwo who is a clearing and forwarding agent with 3kg of methamphetamine meant for export to Malaysia. In the process of investigation, he indicted Ibidayin Godwin an officer of the NDLEA working at the Anambra State command. We have also arrested three others Taiwo Ososanya, Fatai Olawale Akera and Alhaji Yusuf Olayemi Bankole who are being quizzed by our investigators,” he said.

According to the Agency, the suspects would soon be charged to court following the establishment of a prima facie case of conspiracy, unlawful possession and exportation of narcotics.

Meanwhile, the Coalition against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has called a press conference on the dirty deals of the NDLEA officers in aiding and abetting of drug traffickers and called the federal government and the stakeholders to take quick reaction on the matter. CACOL said in the Press Release made available to Daily Newswatch, that the organization was compelled to address the media on the pertinent issue of endemic corruption which remains a major clog in the quest to evolve genuine democratic Nigeria.

“It is no longer news that the scourge of corruption is daily developing unusual resistance against our fight in Nigeria; no thanks to its endemic and multi-faceted nature and the peculiar nature of our socio-cultural environment. CACOL is calling this Press Conference to put in proper perspective the monumental cover up at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency who has continued to orchestrate the false impression that Nigeria is on course with its war against drug and to add our voice to the teeming voices of well-meaning Nigerians calling for the probe and apposite prosecution and punishment of the supposed foremost anti-drug czar for aiding and abetting corruption in the agency”, Debo Adeniran

Executive Chairman, CACOL stated.

“At the moments, over 12 petitions of ineptitude and corruption against the NDLEA boss have been forwarded to the presidency, National Security Adviser, NSA, Secretary to the Federal Government of the Federation, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Stakeholders and to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. It is on record that between 2005 when Giade assumed the rein of power, and 2006, a whooping 197 drug convicts never saw the four walls of any prison after jail sentences were duly passed on them by courts of competent jurisdiction. According to a report by media of April 22, 2013, 101 convicts in 2005 and 96 in 2006 were illegally freed by a criminal syndicate of NDLEA prosecutors, defense counsels, and prison officials, thus making a complete mockery of our country’s justice system”.

The Group stated that according to the report of respected Justice Gilbert

Obayan, who headed National Committee for the reform of NDLEA, there were grave corruption in the agency. Adeniran told the crowded journalists that Obayan submitted his report on February 2007, and highlighted that jail racketeering was a vice that has pervasive in the anti-drug agency.

“Jail-evasion is actualized by the prosecution hands in the agency and prison officials who strike bargain, which is said to be usually initiated by the defense team. All the rich drug barons have to do, is to part with millions of naira, which is usually no hassle to them, going by what they gain in the long run. More so, apart from some unscrupulous elements of the agency helping drug convicts to evade jail, they also ensure that the suspects while on trial get less stiff punishments”, the report further stated.

“It is ridiculous to note that many of the convictions got by the Agency show sentences ranging from three (3) months to three (3) years. This negates Sections 11, 14, 19, 20 and 21 of the NDLEA Act which explicitly specify penalties for all drug-related offences, ranging from minimum of 15 to 25 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of unlawful possession of, or trafficking in illicit drugs, without any provision for plea bargaining or fine”.

Adeniran frowned that despite the report, that the group’s  investigation reveals that drug convicts still get plea bargaining and drug peddlers who are ready to pay the price, still get lighter sentence with option of fine.

“A very good example is that of a renowned actress, Akinwande Taiwo popularly called Yetunde Wunmi, who was arrested with 1.2kg of cocaine at Murtala Muhammed International Airport sometimes in 2006. Due to NDLEA’s shoddy prosecution, the woman was sentenced to just three (3) years behind the bar; curiously, with an option of N1 million fine, which she gladly paid and walked out of the courtroom a free citizen. This indicates that punishments meted out to drug convicts do not commensurate with offences committed, which in turn have not deterred others from going into the trade going by the rise in drug-related cases in our airports and seaports. No thanks to the Giade-led NDLEA!” the Group cried out.

“Likewise, the Obayan report identified a connection between all the corrupt activities in the agency and some top players in the agency. To this end, it recommended the purging of the agency of some polluted hands especially those of the directorate of prosecutions who connived with convicts to evade jail terms”. The group claimed that Obayan report mentioned some of the alleged indicted senior officers of the agency and recommended that they should be sacked but that Giade stockpiled them in the agency.

“Giade leadership saw nothing wrong in retaining most of the indicted NDLEA officials as it has been revealed that many of them are still holding vital positions in the agency. The Chairman even, in an interview with TELL, declared that the issues raised in the Obayan report have been overtaken by events and passed the buck of jail evasion crime on prison officials, claiming it was them that illegally freed the convicts after signing the necessary papers”.  

Infact the Press Conference addressed by Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) on Monday, 30th June, 2014 at its office, 610, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ijaiye Bus-stop, Ijaiye-Ojokoro, Lagos dwelt much on the matter concerning the latest petition, written by one Mr. Paul Audu, Chief Superintendent of Narcotics of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Taraba/Adamawa State Commands which was sent to the President Goodluck Jonathan.

Audu, in the petition, revealed heavy allegations against the Mallam Giade, who the petitioner accused of running the agency like a family business. Audu revealed that Giade’s romance with drug barons started in 2005, during the arrest of one Akindele Ikumoluyi popularly known as Ile Eru 1, who has been an internationally wanted drug baron but with intelligence at the disposal of the Agency, the suspect was arrested.

CACOL  quoting copiously from the petition said Mr. Audu was instrumental to the arrest of the suspect and prosecution and even to the tracking down of Ikumoluyi assets but it was later discovered that Giade wasn’t happy about the arrest of the suspect.

“Events thereafter began to show that Alhaji Giade did not find the arrest of Akindele amusing and further arrests of more drug barons may jeopardize his pecuniary interest, hence, Giade’s lack of interest and zeal in pursuing the arrest of the other barons despite the fact that Mr. Ikumoluyi was ready to assist the Agency with information to lead to their arrest. It is therefore on record that Akindele whose arrest was masterminded by the officer Audu remains the only drug baron to be arrested in almost nine years of Alhaji Ahmadu Giade’s headship of the Agency as the Chairman/Chief Executive”, CACOL stated.

“It has been revealed that many of the so-called arrests and prosecutions by the NDLEA are those of the small fries (couriers) who are usually victims of economic hardship. Information is only extracted from these drug couriers about their principals, otherwise known as drug barons, whom Alhaji Giade and his cronies put into use for their personal aggrandizement. The situation has become so bad that there has been a somewhat accord between Alhaji Ahmadu Giade and his boys on the one hand and the barons who are willing to sacrifice a few of their messengers to be show cased, so that NDLEA will not come near them (barons). The same way these barons dole out money in all currencies to mumble NDLEA’s investigative voice”.

The Group explains that the fraternization with the drug barons by the managers at the NDLEA was the reason NDLEA mischievously continues to celebrate the arrest of drug couriers on a daily basis while failing to answer the question of what happened to the drug barons.

“It must be emphasized that drug control success paradigm globally has long shifted from quantitative to qualitative arrest. The arrest of a single notable baron is worth the arrest of two thousand couriers, but for the past eight years, Giade-led NDLEA cannot boast of the arrest and prosecution of any drug baron, apart from Akindele Ikumoluyi whom Mr. Paul Audu masterminded, at the very embryo of his (Alhaji Ahmadu Giade’s) administration”.

It is worthy to stress that the same Audu has been at the receiving end of Mallam Giade’s stick as he was posted out of the Lagos State to Adamawa/Taraba State Commands immediately after Ikumoluyi took him (Audu) into confidence and promised to assist the Agency with some information that could lead to the arrest of other drug barons”, the Group quipped.

CACOL said perhaps, the posting away from Lagos State of Audu may be to prevent the dedicated officer from investigating and arresting other barons who lived in all the nooks and crannies of Lagos State.

 “It must also be noted that for the past seven years, Officer Audu has been stuck in Adamawa/Taraba. This runs contrary to NDLEA posting and transfer policy of moving officers, especially prosecutors around, after two to three years, for purpose of safety of life; above all, Mallam Giade has sat on the promotion of this officer. It is sounded that many of the landmark arrests and seizure made under this present administration so far came through “controlled delivery” which intelligence came through the Agency’s foreign collaborators who supply it with information on drugs destined for Nigeria, and because these collaborators are involved in the monitoring of the information and movement of the consignments, NDLEA just had to intercept the consignments upon landing in Nigeria so as not to spark off obvious tale of compromise”, CACOL further explained.

“It is ridiculous that drug barons are all around swimming in the opulence of their illicit materialism, doing great havoc to the economy of this country and of other countries they merchandise their good of mass destruction, destroying human capitals that are sine-qua-non to positive national development, yet Mallam Giade and his cronies are looking the other way and preventing dedicated officers from performing their constitutional roles. Such ignoble act to us at CACOL is highly condemnable”.  “It is unheard of that those that are paid from taxpayers’ sweat to fight the war against drugs are aiding and abetting drug barons”.

Against this background, CACOL wants the federal government to implement the Obayan report. It stated that the group is concerned that several years after the report of Justice Gilbert Obayan recommended the disengagement of some corrupt officials of the NDLEA, many of them are still in the workforce of the Agency and are being protected by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Ahmadu Giade, who possibly they give returns after perpetrating their shenanigans.

“It is also regrettable that a dedicated officer could be victimized all because he was ready to perform his duties without compromising his standard. CACOL therefore urges President Goodluck Jonathan to exhume the Obayan Report and ensures the implementation of the recommendations raised therein. We also suggest that another panel should be set up to look into the petition sent to His Excellency by Mr. Paul Audu, an official of the NDLEA presently being victimized by Mallam Giade and his cronies”, CACOL claimed.

“We are further, by this conference, calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),in line with the power vested in it, to investigate the NDLEA Chairman, Mallam Giade and the Agency’s top officials whether their lifestyles and extent of the properties are justified by their sources of income”.