NDLEA operatives

The Bayelsa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has decried the absence of the sitting Judge in the Federal High Court Yenagoa.

Bayelsa state commander of the NDLEA, Josephine Obi lamented the situation while parading 64 persons arrested for being in possession of over 38 kilogrammes of illicit drugs at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa.

The Federal High Court Yenagoa and the National Industrial Court have not sat for about seven months over alleged corruption charges against the Judges of the two courts by the EFCC.

The NDLEA chief said the command has not been able to prosecute any case in court, a situation she said has led to congestion of the agency’s cell with inmates.

The 64 suspects, made up of 45 males and 19 females, NDLEA said, were arrested between January and April 2017 for offences ranging from peddling cocaine, Heroin, cannabis and other Psychotropic drugs.

Obi also said during the arrest of some of the suspects, the agency recovered one locally made pistol, a revolver pistol, one hand grenade, five rounds of ammunitions and a handcuff from a suspect.

The Commander said the suspects were arrested in separate locations such as Ogbia, Yenagoa, East/West road area and in Kaiama axis all in Bayelsa state.

She also explained that the command impounded a Toyota Jeep, V8   from one of the middle drug men used in conveying drugs, insisting that the command is still combing for the big barons

Obi equally said over 239 persons has been counselled on the dangers of using hard drugs.

The 64 suspects, Mrs Josephine Obi said, would be prosecuted when the judge of the Federal High court in Yenagoa resumes sitting.

Our correspondent recalled that the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa and Sagbama chapters on the 23rd of March, 2017 protested the absence of the Judges of the Federal High Court, Yenagoa and the National Industrial Court in a press conference.

It was gathered that the Federal High Court, Yenagoa and the National Industrial Court have been under lock and keys following corruption allegations against Justice Aliya Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court Yenagoa and JusticeTerse Agbadua-Fishin of the National Industrial Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).