A Federal High Court, sitting in Jos on Thursday, sentenced two men, Masa’udu Ishaku, 28, and Isiaka Garba, 30, to three years imprisonment each for trafficking 868 kilogrammes of Tramadol.
Justice Musa Kurya sentenced the defendants after they changed their pleas to guilty for drug trafficking.
Kurya held that since the defendants changed their pleas to guilty, and also pleaded for leniency, he would temper Justice with mercy.
“You are hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment each, beginning from the day you were remanded in the Correctional Centre.
“This sentence is to serve as a deterrent to other young people out there, who might think of engaging in such criminal act,’’ he said.
Kurya, who frowned at the increased cases of young people trafficking hard drugs in the country, pledged to weld the full wrath of the law on offenders.
He described them as “bad eggs” of society.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Uche Chukwu told the court that convicts were arrested on June 14, 2017, by some NDLEA officers, who intercepted their J-5 Bus loaded with the Tramadol.
Chikwu said that the duo had pleaded not guilty before changing their pleas to guilty and so should be giving a summary trial.
He had called Mr Ezekiel Yusuf, an NDLEA Exhibit Officer, as a witness, who testified against the defendants.
Yusuf tendered four documents, including their statements and the substance to the court in evidence.
He said the offences contravened Section 19 of the NDLEA Act CAP 30 Law of FRN, 2004.
