Two notorious drug kingpins: Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian and Agbo Chidike Prince will now spend the rest of their lives in jail, bringing an end to their years of criminal enterprise of exporting cocaine across continents.
This followed their arrest and diligent prosecution by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued sunday said the journey of 43-year-old businessman Uwaezuoke to a lifetime in jail began when he was first arrested by NDLEA operatives on 19th March 2022 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
He said he was during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after he was found to have ingested 100 big wraps of cocaine weighing 2.243 kilograms.
Babafemi added that he was subsequently arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022 and was granted bail on certain conditions after he pleaded not guilty.
He, thereafter absconded, leading the court to revoke his bail and issue an arrest warrant against him.
The spokesperson noted that in a curious twist, Uwaezuoke was again arrested by NDLEA operatives on 1st August 2023, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos while attempting to export 1.822 kilograms of cocaine to India through ingestion using a different passport and under a different name, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi.
Babafemi said he was again arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division in charge number FHC/L/554C/2023.
He pleaded guilty to the two counts charge and was convicted and sentenced on 18th October 2023 to a total term of seven years of imprisonment or a fine of ₦1.5 million.
Babafemi stressed that he paid the fine and was transferred to Abuja to face the importation case pending against him.
He was re-arraigned on 20th March 2024 at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022 before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where he pleaded guilty again.
Babefemi stressed that despite his plea, the court, noting his lack of remorse, the seriousness of drug-related offences and the fact that he was a repeated offender, convicted and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
