Court Jails Dispatch Rider For Distributing Illegal Drugs

Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 33-year-old dispatch rider, Yahaya Nuru, to seven years in prison for unlawfully distributing large quantities of tramadol, a banned analgesic.

Justice Kakaki handed down the verdict after Nuru pleaded guilty to a four-count charge of illegal drug dealings filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

During the convict arraignment, the prosecutor, Peter Ekuri, informed the court that the Nuru, along with others at large, committed the offences on November 2025, at 6 Ashogbon Street, Lagos Island.

Ekuri claimed that the convict conspired with one Abdulrazak and Chukwu Emeka to commit these illegal acts.

He also told the judge that Nuru was caught with 4.12 kilograms of Tramadol Hydrochloride, 40ml of Tramadol Hydrochloride Injection, 1 litre of Diazepam Injection, and 1.04 litres of Tramadol Hydrochloride Injection, all intended for delivery.

The prosecutor further maintained that the offence violated sections 20 (1)(a) and 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, punishable under Section 20 (2)(a) of the same act.

Following his plea, Ekuri reviewed the facts of the case, tendered exhibits, and urged the court to convict and sentence the convict based on the law under which he was arraigned.

However, the defence lawyer pleaded for leniency, urging the court to show mercy due to his client’s guilty plea and status as a first-time offender who had not delayed proceedings.

After considering the evidence and Nuru’s status as a first-time offender, Justice Kakaki sentenced him to four years, five months, one month, and three years on counts one through four.

The judge ordered him to pay fines of N300,000, N30,000, N50,000, and N200,000, respectively, for each count. Both the imprisonment and fines are to run concurrently.