Five drug dealers bag 21-year jail term

Five members of a drug trafficking syndicate have been sentenced to a total of 21 years imprisonment following their conviction in Lagos for various drug offences.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency disclosed this in a statement on Friday by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.

According to the agency, three of the convicts — Olasupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, and Sola Adegoke — were arrested on August 26, 2025, after NDLEA operatives intercepted 17.9 kilograms of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

The illicit shipment was reportedly destined for Sydney, Australia.

Further investigations, the NDLEA said, led to the recovery of 20.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud (a potent strain of cannabis) from Ogunbiyi’s residence in Lekki, and the seizure of a black Range Rover SUV with registration number RBC 459 EJ from Adegoke’s home in Ikeja GRA.

The three suspects were subsequently arraigned before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on October 30, 2025, under charge number FHC/L/925C/2025.

“They pleaded guilty to the five-count charge preferred against them,” Babafemi said.

Delivering judgment the next day, October 31, Justice Kakaki sentenced each defendant to five years imprisonment without an option of fine, bringing their total sentence to 15 years.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the Range Rover SUV and a Toyota Venza car recovered from the convicts during investigation to the Federal Government.

In a separate case, the NDLEA spokesman said two other drug traffickers — Obunike Obichukwu and Uzorchukwu Chukwurah — were arrested on July 19, 2025, after operatives intercepted 2.60 kilograms of cocaine and 27.90 kilograms of tramadol hidden inside motor spare parts being exported to Gabon through the Lagos airport.

The duo were arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, under charge number FHC/L/980C/2025, where they both pleaded guilty.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa subsequently convicted and sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment each, with an option of ₦2 million fine in lieu of the jail term.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of ₦4 million offered as a bribe by Obunike to NDLEA officers during investigation.

Babafemi said the convictions underscored the NDLEA’s renewed strategy of targeting not only drug couriers but also cartel leaders, financiers, and logistics coordinators behind major trafficking networks.

He added that the agency would continue to pursue asset forfeiture and financial investigations alongside criminal prosecutions to dismantle the financial structure of drug cartels operating within and outside the country.