The Federal High Court in Kano on Tuesday adjourned the arraignment of a 42-year-old Indian woman, Ms. Neetu, over alleged heroin trafficking due to the absence of a language interpreter.
Ms. Neetu, who is accused of smuggling 11 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria, was arrested on March 14, 2025, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
She arrived in Nigeria via a Qatar Airways flight from Bangkok, Thailand, with stopovers in Vietnam and Doha. A search of her luggage reportedly uncovered 72 parcels of heroin disguised as chocolate.
When the case came up before Justice Simon Amobeda, the defence lawyer, B.Y. Gambo, informed the court that his client neither understands nor speaks English. He argued that the NDLEA, as the prosecuting body, is responsible for providing an interpreter.
“I cannot continue to spend foreign currency on interpretation services,” Gambo said, urging the court to halt proceedings until an interpreter is made available.
The NDLEA’s counsel, Umar Hussain, opposed the application, claiming it was an attempt to delay the case. He suggested the accused should communicate through other available means.
However, Justice Amobeda ruled that it is the prosecution’s duty to ensure that the accused fully understands the charges against her. He then adjourned the case to June 4, 2025, for possible arraignment, and ordered that Ms. Neetu remain in NDLEA custody.
The case has drawn public interest due to the amount of drugs involved and the unusual challenge posed by the language barrier in court proceedings.
