Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday, remanded 49-year-old Olanrewaju Wahab Lawal, said to be a soldier, for alleged trafficking in multiple banned substances.

 
Lawal was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), before the court, on a six count-charge of conspiracy and unlawful engagement in the transportation of the banned substances.
 
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Following his not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for a trial date. Responding to the prosecutor’s request, lawyer to the defendant, Bolanle Kolawole, told the court that her client’s bail application has been filed and same has been served on the prosecutor.
 
She also pleaded with the court to allow her client to be in NDLEA’s custody till the determination of the bail application. Justice Aluko after taking arguments from counsel, adjourned the matter to March 17, for ruling on the bail application.
   
The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till ruling on his bail application. The prosecutor and head of NDLEA’s Legal/prosecution department of the Lagos State Command, Mr. Lambert Nor, told the court that the defendant and others now at large, have been operating a Drug Trafficking Organisation (DTO) since September 15 last year till January 12, 2023, when he was arrested at Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, Lagos State.
 
Nor told the court that the defendant was arrested with high volumes of the banned substances, which include: tramadol Hydrochloride 250mg weighing 223.65 kilogrammes, tramadol Hydrochloride 225 mg weighing 28.40 kilogrammes, Pregabalin, weighing 169.4 kilogrammes and Codeine Based Syrup weighing 1,469 litres.
   
He also informed the court that all the banned drugs were listed as “designated by the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961 and its Protocal and the Convention against illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988”.
 
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant’s illegal acts contravened Sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
   
ALSO, the prosecutor has moved an ex-parte application seeking for an order of interim forfeiture of the vehicle used by the soldier to transport the said banned substance, as well as some of his monies kept in some banks.
   
The prosecutor told the court that investigation revealed that the monies are proceeds of illegal acts. Justice Aluko also adjourned to March 17, for ruling on the application.