A drug trafficking suspect Hassan Ismail, who attempted to murder a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officer during a sting operation code-named Restore Order in Auramo, Ringim Local Government Area, Jigawa State, has been convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court in Dutse.
Ismail was convicted and sentenced alongside five other drug offenders, according to a statement by the Assistant State Commander, Admin and Logistics, NDLEA Jigawa State Command, ACN Abdullahi Wada, on behalf of the State Commander.
The agency said during the operation, an officer was stabbed with a shaped knife by Ismail in a desperate attempt to escape arrest.
“Bleeding and wounded, our gallant officers refused to be deterred. With uncommon courage and professionalism, they overpowered him, secured the exhibit, and arrested him,” the NDLEA Jigawa State Command said.
The Command added that Hassan Ismail was subsequently arraigned, tried, convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour.
The five other drug traffickers convicted following their arrest from different black spots across the state are:
1. Abba Muhd alias Dan Yola, 23, of Ringim LGA, arrested with 27.93 grams of Cannabis Sativa, sentenced to two years imprisonment.
2. Aliyu Muktar, 24, of Gumel LGA, arrested with 500 grams of Cannabis Sativa, sentenced to one year imprisonment.
3. Mohammed Iliyasu, 25, of Babura LGA, arrested with 1.1kg of Cannabis Sativa and 14.5 grams of Tramadol, sentenced to two years imprisonment.
4. Dayyabu Musa, 35, of Gwaram LGA, arrested with 1.211kg of Cannabis Sativa and 12 grams of Tramadol, sentenced to two years imprisonment.
5. Abba Sulaiman, of Gwaram LGA, arrested with 1.40kg of Cannabis Sativa and 7 grams of Tramadol, sentenced to two years imprisonment.
The agency said all the convicts will serve their jail terms with hard labour and without option of fine where so pronounced by the court, and their exhibits forfeited to the Federal Government.
Reacting to the judgment, the State Commander, NDLEA Jigawa State Command, CN Hassan Katanga Kabaju, commended the officers for their bravery, especially the Ringim team, and applauded the judiciary for its firm and expeditious justice.
“This conviction, especially that of Hassan Ismail who wounded our officer, is justice for the wounded officer and justice for the society. It shows that no amount of violence will stop us. Drug dealers, wherever you are – whether in Dutse, Gumel, Ringim, Babura, Gwaram, Kazaure or in the bush – we will find you, we will arrest you and we will prosecute you. Jigawa State will not be a safe haven for drug criminality,” he said.
He warned youths to desist from illicit drug trafficking and abuse, noting that the Command has been fully repositioned with intelligence and logistics to smoke out all drug joints.
