Lukman Olabiyi
Six suspected drugs trafficking syndicate have been arraigned before the Federal High Court, Lagos, for exporting and importing hard drugs to Saudi-Arabia and United States of America (USA) through posting.
The syndicate who were arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo in a two separate charges are: Olabode Ikotun; Ramon Olanrewaju;  Adegboyega Ayodeji, Tayo Ismail, Adekunle Osikomaiya, and Tunbosun Jagun, by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
All the six men were alleged to have committed the offence in August, 2020 and were also alleged to have used FedEx Courier Services located on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Kakawa Lagos Island and NAHCO, Ikeja, Lagos State.
While the dou of Olabode Ikotun and Ramon Olanrewaju were alleged to have exported 800 grams of Cocaine to Saudi Arabia. Adegboyega Ayodeji, Tayo Ismail, Adekunle Osikomaiya, and Tunbosun Jagun, were alleged to have imported 485 grams of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called marijuana from United States of America (USA).
Arraigning the defendants, Mr. F. Owen Dinneys, told the court that both Olabode Ikotun and Ramon Olanrewaju were arrested on August 2020, at the FedEx Courier Services office located at Awolowo road, Ikoyi and Kakawa, Lagos Island, where they have gone to send the drug to Saudi Arabia.
He said the defendant packed the Cocaine in a package with tracking numbers 814245601396 and 910729540179.
The prosecutor also told the court that the other four men syndicate, who are Adegboyega Ayodeji, Tayo Ismail, Adekunle Osikomaiya, and Tunbosun Jagun, were arrested on August 13, 2020, at FedEx Courier services, NAHCO, Ikeja, Lagos, while receiving the Marijuana in a package with tracking number 395157644451, imported from the USA.
Dinneys told the court that the offences committed by the Syndicate are contrary to and punishable under sections 11(a); 11(b) and 14(b) of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
With the defendants plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and also urged the court to remand them in custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services, till the determination of the charges against them.
However, lawyers to the defendants, who includes Chief (Mrs) Lilian Omotunde: Bolanle Kolawole and Mr. E. O. Okenyin, while not objecting to the trial date request of the prosecutor, begged the court to hear their clients’ applications for bail, which they said have been served on the prosecutor.
Justice Oweibo, upon listened to the the submissions of parties in the bail applications, admitted all the defendants to bail the sum of N5 million with two sureties in the same like sum each.
Justice Oweibo ordered that sureties to Olabode and Ramon must have landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court, however ordered that sureties to Adegboyega; Tayo; Adekunle and Tunbosun must be Civil Servants not below Grade Level 10, either from Lagos State or Federal government establishments.
Justice Oweibo subsequently, adjourned the matter till October 8, for trial, ordered that all the defendants be remanded in the NDLEA custody, pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.