Court Jails Italy-Based Nigerian For 15 Years For Cocaine Trafficking

Justice Ibrahim Kala of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced an Italy-based Nigerian, Tunde Philip, to 15 years’ imprisonment for attempting to traffic 4.8 kilogrammes of cocaine from Nigeria to Italy.

Justice Kala handed down the verdict after Philip pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of unlawfully exporting narcotic drugs, brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The prosecutor, Arit Okon, had earlier informed the judge that the convict was arrested on September 27, 2026, during an outward clearance for passengers boarding a Royal Air Maroc flight from Lagos to Milan, Italy, via Casablanca.

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Okon had also claimed that the convict was apprehended in the New Terminal Departure Screening area of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, with 4.8 kilogrammes of cocaine.

The prosecutor maintained that the offence contravened Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act.

To prove the charge, the prosecution called an exhibit officer, Kenneth Babajiya, who testified that the convict was brought to his office with two transparent evidence pouches containing the suspected cocaine.

Babajiya further told the judge that the substances, weighing 4.8 kilogrammes, were documented and placed in the agency’s exhibit strong room.

He also tendered several exhibits, including certificates of test analysis, drug seizure receipts, Philip’s extra-judicial statement, Nigerian international passport, boarding passes and an iPhone 17.

The court admitted the documents and items into evidence without objection from the defence counsel, Chief Lilian Omotunde.

In her plea for leniency, Omotunde urged the court to consider that her client was a first-time offender who had pleaded guilty promptly and shown remorse.

She added that the convict was married with children and had promised not to engage in criminal activity again.

The prosecution also confirmed that the convict had no previous convictions.

In his judgment, Justice Kala considered the plea for leniency and sentenced Philip to 15 years’ imprisonment with an option of a N50 million fine.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s Nigerian passport and iPhone to the federal government and directed that the seized cocaine be destroyed, subject to appeal.