Hon. Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, has permitted the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to further remand the alleged drug lord, Sulaimon Jimoh, alias “Olowo Idi Ogede,” for another 14 days.
Justice Aluko extended the remand order of the alleged drug lord, who is also known as Temo, on Friday, after hearing an ex parte motion filed and argued by Barrister Lambert Nor, the Legal Officer in charge of the Lagos Command of the agency.
The lawyer urged the court for the extension of remand of the alleged drug baron, the NDLEA lawyer told the court that the motion is pursuant to sections 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Section 296 (1)(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Order 26 Rules 8 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
Lambert also informed the court that the extension order sought is to enable NDLEA to tie up the several legs of the cases against the suspect in different jurisdictions, as responses to letters of investigation into several diverse aspects of the cases against the suspect are still being awaited. He added that the preliminary investigation revealed a wider and more sensitive network of drug activities, which require further checks and confirmation.
He also told the court that the order sought was to have his legal custody and the items seized from him in order not to violate his rights.
NDLEA supported the motion with a 13-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Kayode Abu Ojo, a litigation officer with NDLEA.
In the affidavit, the deponent made the following averments: “that the applicant sought and obtained an Order of this Honourable Court to remand Sulaimon Jimoh alias “Olowo Idi Ogede” a.k.a. “Temo,” a wanted high-profile drug baron for over ten years in the Applicant’s Custody.
“That the applicant has complied with the Order of this Court made on 26th July, 2024. And that the applicant now seeks an additional period of 14 days remand of the Suspect in the Custody of the Applicant for the following reasons.
“That in the period of the detention of the suspect Sulaimon Jimoh alias “Olowo Idi Ogede” a.k.a “Temo,” a wanted high-profile drug baron ordered by the Honourable court, there was a nationwide mass protest with attendant security implications which stalled the work of the panel of investigation, leading to a loss of a substantial time of the initial 14 days period granted by the Court.
“That in the course of the same time, counsel to the suspect was not available for some time to enable the suspect to complete his statement. And that by the time counsel to the suspect came, quite a substantial time of the 14 days granted by the court had been lost.
“That ongoing Investigation is revealing a wider and more sensitive network of drug activities of national and international dimensions. And that letters of inquiry forwarded to sister agencies, corporate entities, and other relevant bodies in connection with other sensitive aspects of the case of the suspect are still being awaited.
“That there is a need to tie up the litany of cases spread against the suspect in different jurisdictions, in order to have a complete picture of the Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) run by the suspect for the attention of the court. And that it is, therefore, necessary to have further legal custody of the suspect in order not to violate his rights or the order of this honourable court.”
Justice Aluko, after listening to the NDLEA’s submissions and reading through all processes filed and legal authorities supplied, held that: “……… the application has merit, and the order sought is hereby granted.”
The judge thereafter adjourned the matter to August 23, 2024, for a report of the investigation.
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