Court remands 50-year-old over alleged drug dealing

Mr Ige told the court that the defendant was facing a one-count charge bordering on unlawful dealing in illicit substances.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan on Monday October 28th, 2024, ordered the remand of a 50-year-old suspected drug dealer, Surajdeen Alabere, at the Agodi Correctional Centre.

The Presiding Judge, Justice N.E. Maha, gave the order after Alabere pleaded not guilty to a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in narcotics.

Mr Maha adjourned the suit until November 19 for commencement of trial.

Alabere, who was arraigned for allegedly trafficking 47 kilogrammes of “cannabis sativa,” was being prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Earlier, counsel to NDLEA’s Oyo State Command, Rachael Ige, had told the court that the defendant was facing a one-count charge bordering on unlawful dealing in illicit substance.

Ms Ige added that NDLEA operatives arrested the defendant on July 23 at Kisi, in the Irepo Local Government Area of Oyo State.

She said the operatives acted on a tip-off from concerned Nigerians that Alabere was into drug trafficking.

The counsel added that the defendant was subsequently apprehended in possession of a sack containing the illicit substance.