By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
One Mr Azuka Ndujekwu, who is alleged to have smuggled prohibited drugs of codeine and tramadol into the country is to remain in the custody of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) pending the conclusion and eventual prosecution.
The vacation judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos gave the order to Customs to remand the unlawful importer of the prohibited drugs in its custody till the conclusion of investigation and prosecution.
Azuka is alleged to have unlawfully imported 10 Cartons of Super Royal 225 Tramadol and 754 cartons of Codeine, which are banned drugs.
He was alleged to have unlawfully brought the drugs into the country in a 1 X 40 feet Container marked MRKU 553432\1 and also accused of making false declaration to the Customs.
The order remanding Azuka in custody was made by Justice Aluko while granting an Ex-parte motion for the order, filed and moved by Mrs. Kehinde Bode-Ayeni.
In urging the court to make the order, the Customs counsel stated that the application was filed pursuant to Sections 294 and 295 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA)2015; Sections 6, 233 and 259 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023; Sections 6 (6), 35 (1)(c), (5) & (7) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and Order 46 Rules 4(d) of the Federal High Court Rules.
Mrs. Bode-Ayeni also supported the application with an affidavit deposed to by one M. A. Kayode, a Litigation Officer in the Legal Unit, Tin Can Island, Apapa, Lagos.
After hearing the submissions of the Customs’ counsel and application moved in terms, Justice Aluko granted the remand application and ordered that the suspect be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) till the conclusion of investigation and prosecution.
Recall that Justice Aluko had on August 28, made a similar order remanding one Boniface Ike Okoye, in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), for alleged smuggling of the same prohibited drugs.