The arraignment of a 42-year-old Indian woman, Ms. Neetu Neetu, who was charged with trafficking of illicit substances at the Federal High Court, Kano, on Tuesday, stalled due to the absence of an interpreter.
When the matter came for hearing before Justice Simon Amobeda, counsel to the defendant B Y Gambo drew the attention of the court to the inability of his client to speak or comprehend the English language.
Gambo argued that the provision of producing a language interpreter to the defendant rests in the hands of the prosecution, and insisted he would not continue to expend a fortune in US dollars for an interpreter.
Responding, counsel to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Umar Hussain, argued that the excuse advanced by the defendant’s counsel was intended to unduly prolong the prosecution.
Hussain advised the defendant to continue with the usual means of communication to save the cause of prosecution.
Justice Amobeda, however, overruled the prosecution counsel, insisting it is the responsibility of the NDLEA and not the defendant to provide the cost of
an interpreter for the Indian national.
The presiding judge, therefore, ruled that until the interpreter is secured to bridge the language barrier, the case may not proceed. The court has adjourned till 4th June, 2025, for possible arraignment, subject to the provision of an interpreter while directing the defendant to remain in the custody of the NDLEA.
Neetu was intercepted by the NDLEA on Friday, 14th March, 2025, at Mallam Aminu International Airport, Kano, with 72 parcels of factory-sealed heroin in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.
The class A drug consignment weighing a total of 11 kilogrammes, NDLEA said the substances were recovered from Neetu’s luggage after a thorough search, following processed credible intelligence, during an inward.
Until her interception, Neetu was cleared by Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of the Kano airport.
In Nigeria, drug trafficking can result in several punishments, including the death penalty, life imprisonment, and other harsh penalties depending on the severity of the offense and the amount of drugs involved.
Specifically, the death penalty is possible for offenses like large-scale drug trafficking or possession of large quantities of drugs. Other drug-related crimes may result in life sentences or other stringent punishments as stipulated in the NDLEA Act.