By Hassan Zaggi
Executive Director, Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEHUR), Adekunle Thomas, has frowned at the release of the two convicted drug traffickers who were arrested by the police and transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) 16 months after.
In a statement in Abuja, on Friday, the group described the released of the two convicted drug traffickers as “desecration of the judicial power, abuse of office and deliberate manipulation of the public that there’s war against drug trafficking.
“Just today, we learnt of the release of two convicted drug traffickers arrested by Police IRT and transferred to NDLEA namely Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who through an intentioned plea bargain, were sentenced to six years in prison, 2yrs for each of the 3 counts.
“Both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were arrested by the men of the IGP called Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in connection to 21.25kg of cocaine in January 2022.
“They had brought in the cocaine from Brazil through Ethiopia to Nigeria, through the Enugu Airport.
“The police acting on intelligence moved in and arrested the men with the contraband after they were cleared by Conniving Officers in the Enugu Airport and moved them to Abuja,” the statement noted.
The group, however, noted that: “Having carefully explored key facts and the legal processes we are forced to state that, this is no longer a quest for justice but a clear case of dancing the beating of the drum being drummed by someone behind the scene, which amounts to vendetta.
“The affected police officers have been in prison without bail for more than 15 months now on bailable allegations as the law provided. What are the issues? Deliberate use of judicial power to deny them bail despite repeated assurances that these are known men home and abroad that would not flee especially with their international passports will be in possession of the court.
“Again, the application of the Criminal Justice Act calls for specific application of procedures in determining any case alleged to be criminal in nature.”
Section 396 (3), according to the statement, provides that upon arraignment of a defendant, trial shall proceed from day-to- day until the conclusion of the trial.
“The Center for Democracy and Human Rights views this as not only an assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians but on the sanctity of the court as well as deliberate manipulation to hide the key actors behind these convicted felons who were caught by the Police IRT red handed trafficking drugs into the country.
“If the ACJA provides for accelerated hearing and its guidelines, why have there been many long adjournments in such a manner that is far behind the recommended time frame?
“CEDEHUR makes bold to say that there’s more to this judicial process. Is the insinuation that there’s a finger of the Independent People of Biafra in this true? Who’s an IPOB apologist in this case?
“The Super Cop who fought and demystified the Armed IPOB fighters killing Police officers and other innocent Nigerians and burning Police stations all across Southeast didn’t take himself to the Southeast but was officially ordered by the Police highest authority to proceed to southeast and defend those Police Officers/Police stations/innocent citizens in the Southeast and defeated the heavily armed attackers.
“Or is it truly a fact that the druglord whom these convicted drug traffickers work for is so powerful that he’s manipulating the NDLEA whom the drug traffickers confessed in writing and on video that they are on his payroll?
“Is that why he was never arrested or declared wanted notwithstanding his name, phone number and address was given to NDLEA. Or is the big baron indirectly manipulating the judicial process especially as he has not been arrested despite the voluntary confession from the convicts?
“We have also seen how the Big Baron indirectly manipulated his ways for the confessed multiple drug traffickers to be released in prison after just 16 months.
“We ask again, why has the sponsor of these drug traffickers not been arrested? Why are big drug barons like Mallison Ukatu, Chief Ugoh etc arrested and announced to the world through NDLEA Press releases in 2022 for bringing in 22 billion and 8.9 billion naira drugs respectively into Nigeria are free after few months in custody and have all gone to their families,” the statement noted.
The group, therefore, insisted that Nigerians must ask the questions because testimonies from these felons include name, contact address, phone number, dates and manner of operations in which they undertake drug trafficking for this highly placed person, who was never arrested or declared wanted.
“We call on the NDLEA to do the needful and arrest the face behind these two drug traffickers among others or declare him wanted, as all the details of the Big Barons were given to them by the convicted drug traffickers.
“We also call on the judge to adhere to the judicial process as provided by law and the ACJA instead of acting as if it’s a vendetta,” the statement reiterated.
