The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, arraigned a senior immigration officer, Gbenga Akomolafe, before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday for allegedly trafficking eight kilogrammes of methamphetamine and 7.60 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana.
Akomolafe, who is currently employed at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, was arraigned with Babatunde Olufemi, a Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria employee, Nwadozie Amaechi, and Nwosu Cyril.
The defendants, who face nine counts of conspiracy, unlawful possession, importation, and dealing in forbidden narcotics, were arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor.
While the other three members of the gang pleaded guilty to the allegations against them, the immigration officer denied committing the crimes and pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Following the immigration officer’s not guilty plea, his lawyer, Benson Ndakara, appealed with the court to allow him to bail under the most lenient circumstances.
As a result, Justice Osiagor granted Akomolafe bail of N10 million, with one surety in the same amount.
As a result, Justice Osiagor granted Akomolafe bail of N10 million, with one surety in the same amount.
The judge also directed that the surety be a civil servant of the Assistant Director cadre working for Lagos State or the Federal Government.
Osiagor convicted Babatunde, Nnadozie, and Nwosu based on their guilty pleas and sentenced them to four years on each count.
The three convicts were forced to pay a fine of N2 million on each count.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
