A Federal High Court in Lagos has issued summons to top officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos in response to a bribery allegation brought forward by a convict, Mrs. Fatima Hassan.

The trial judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko, has invited the Lagos State Commander of the agency, Umar Adoro, the Officer-in-Charge of Squad A, Quatu Mohammed, and an officer known as 'Officer Sanni' to address the claims.

Mrs. Hassan, a mother of three, accused 'Officer Sanni,' who acted as the Investigative Officer (IPO) in her case, of extorting N3.7 million from her family. She alleged that the money was taken under the guise of facilitating her bail for a drug-related offense, but neither was she granted bail nor was the sum returned.

In response to the allegations, the NDLEA declared N2.7 million of the sum as proceeds of crime, withholding N1 million.

The accusations surfaced during Hassan's prosecution by the NDLEA before Justice Aluko. She was arraigned on a one-count charge of unlawfully dealing in 33.5 kg of Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp) under Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, to which she pleaded guilty and was subsequently convicted.

During the case review, the prosecution counsel, L. Nor, sought to tender eight exhibits, including a monetary sum of N2.5 million in N1000 notes, referred to as proceeds of crime. However, the defense counsel, O. Ojakovo, opposed this and instead requested the return of the N3.7 million to the convict's family.

Ojakovo said: “The monetary exhibit was not recovered from the defendant. It was the officer of the agency that told the relations of the defendant to raise money in the sum of N2.5 million for the defendant to be released on bail.

“The family members of the defendant went to borrow the money and are still servicing the loan to date. The money is actually N3.7 million given to the officer and not N2.5 million.

“The officer said it is only N2.5 million he has with him and we said it is okay. The officer is known as Mr. Sanni. It will be unfair, unjust and inhuman to classify the sum as proceed of crime.