The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday remanded an importer, Azuka Ndujekwu, who allegedly smuggled codeine and Tramadol into the country in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Justice Akintayo Aluko made the remand order following an application brought before the court for the remand of the defendant pending the conclusion of the investigation and prosecution of the case.

The NCS alleged that Ndujekwu unlawfully imported 10 cartons of Super Royal, 225 Tramadol and 754 cartons of codeine, which remained prohibited drugs.

He was also alleged to have unlawfully brought the drugs into the country in one X40 feet container marked MRKU 553432\1.

Ndujekwu was accused of making a false declaration to the Customs.

NCS lawyer, Mrs KehindeBode-Ayeni, in a motion exparte application, urged the court to make the order.

She stated that the application was pursuant to Sections 294 and 295 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA)2015; Sections 6, 233 and 259 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023; Sections 6 (6), 35 (1)(c), (5) & (7) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and Order 46 Rules 4(d) of the Federal High Court Rules.

Justice Aluko after hearing the submissions of Bode-Ayeni, granted the remand application and ordered that the suspect be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Customs Service at the conclusion of the investigation and prosecution.

Recall that Justice Aluko had on August 28, 2023, remanded one Boniface Ike Okoye, in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service, for alleged smuggling of the same prohibited drugs.