“We Will Sustain the Fight Against Illicit Drugs” — Katsina Police Secure Five-Year Jail Terms for Drug Dealers as 18 Offenders Are Convicted

The Katsina State Police Command has secured the conviction of 18 persons for drug-related offences, with the offenders handed prison sentences ranging from three months to five years.

The convictions followed the prosecution of seven cases at Chief Magistrate Courts I and IV in Katsina between July 6 and August 28, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu.

The police spokesperson said the convictions were secured through the efforts of the command’s Legal Section, as part of its commitment to combating crime and drug-related activities in the state.

Among those convicted, Muhammad Shafi’u, 31, received a four-year jail term without an option of a fine for possessing and selling dangerous drugs. Muhammad Lawal, 30, was also sentenced to five years in prison without an option of a fine for similar offences.

Aminu Ahmed, 25, received six months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N100,000 fine, for possessing dangerous drugs. He was also handed a separate four-year prison sentence without an option of a fine for selling Indian hemp. According to the police, Ahmed was arrested with 25 wraps of Indian hemp and 20 sachets of Pregabalin capsules.

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Sulaiman Abdullahi, 29, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, with an option of a N100,000 fine, for possessing dangerous drugs, while Musa Lawal, 25, received separate sentences for offences involving Indian hemp and other dangerous substances.

The statement further disclosed that Musa Abdullahi and 10 other defendants were each sentenced to three months in prison, with an option of a N15,000 fine, for unlawful possession of Indian hemp. Talmizu Aliyu, 35, was handed a five-year sentence with an option of a fine, while Aliyu Abdullahi, 30, received four years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine for offences involving the possession and sale of Indian hemp and dangerous drugs.

Reacting to the convictions, the Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, Ali Umar-Fage, commended the judiciary for the speedy dispensation of justice and praised police prosecutors for their diligence in handling the cases.

Umar-Fage reaffirmed the command’s resolve to sustain its crackdown on illicit drugs and substance abuse, stressing the importance of continued enforcement efforts in tackling drug-related crime across Katsina State.