CRIME: COURT EXTENDS REMAND ORDER ON SUSPECTED DRUG LORD, ‘TEMO’
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has been given permission by the Federal High Court located in Lagos to imprison Sulaimon Jimoh, also referred to as “Olowo Idi Ogede,” an alleged drug king, for an additional 14 days.
The accused drug lord, popularly known as Temo, had his remand order extended by Justice Akintayo Aluko on Friday. This was following an ex parte request that the agency’s legal officer in charge of the Lagos command submit and defend.
The NDLEA attorney argued in favor of the extension of remand, citing the following legal justifications: Order 26 Rules 8 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009, Section 296 (1)(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Section 6 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution (as amended), and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
The attorney further told the court that the purpose of the requested extension order is to allow the NDLEA to wrap up the various components of the suspect’s cases in other jurisdictions since answers to letters of investigation on various aspects of the cases are still pending.
He continued by saying that additional research and validation are necessary, as the initial examination exposed a more extensive and delicate network of drug-related operations.
Additionally, the NDLEA informed the court that, in order to protect his rights, the order requested called for his Irish custody and the objects to be taken from him.
An agency litigation officer named Kayode Abu Ojo submitted a 13-paragraph affidavit to the anti-drug agency in support of the application.
The deponent stated in the affidavit that the applicant had requested and been granted an order by the honorable court to remand Sulaimon Jimoh, also known as “Olowo Idi Ogede” or “Temo,” a well-known drug baron who had been wanted for more than 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 is the period of the detention of the suspect Sulaimon Jimoh alias “Olowo Idi Ogede” a.k.a “Temo” is 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 loss of a substantial time of the 14 days initial period granted by the Court.
“That in the course of the same time, counsel for 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 inquiries forwarded to sister agencies, corporate entities and other relevant bodies in connection with other sensitive aspects of the case of the suspect are still been awaited.
“There is a need to tie up the litany of the cases spread against the suspect in different jurisdictions, in other 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.”
After listening to the NDLEA’s submissions and reading through all processes filed and legal authorities supplied, Justice Aluko 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 investigation.
It would be recalled that the court had on July 26, 2024, granted an order remanding the suspect, in the NDLEA’s custody for 14 days, while adjourning the matter to last Friday, August 9, for a report of investigation.
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