Court Jails ‘Okada Rider’ 4 Months Over Illicit Drug

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 29-year-motorcyclist, Abdulhamid Umatedele to four months imprisonment for dealing in some banned drugs.

Justice Awogboro jailed Umatedele after he pleaded guilty to a five-count charge of peddling 41 grams of Cannabis Sativa (popularly called Marijuana); 20 grams of Tramadol; 1 gram of Methamphetamine; 5 gram of Rohypnol; and 1 gram of Molly.

The prosecutor, Lambert Nor had told the court that the convict was arrested with the banned drugs on October 17, 2022, at Odobo Street, Oke-Ira, Ogba, Lagos by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Nor had also claimed that the convict violated section 11 (c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and was punishable under the same Act.

Upon his guilty plea, the prosecutor tendered the seized drugs alongside his confessional statement and other exhibits, which were all admitted by the court.

He then urged the court to convict and sentence Umatedele by the provisions of the law under which he was charged.

Before the court handed down its verdict, the convict told the court that he became a hard drug hawker, after his motorcycle, popularly called Okada, was confiscated by the official of the Lagos State Task Force.

He, who claimed that he was an Okada rider for over 13 years since he came to Lagos from Borno State, also said he was given the drugs to sell by a friend as a form of assistance, after his motorcycle was confiscated, to enable him to make a living.

The convict, however, vowed never to get involved in the unwholesome act in the future and that the judge should jail him if he is brought before the court for such action in the future.

Also, his lawyer, Prosper Ojakovo, urged the court to consider his client’s timely guilty plea to the charges against him and his remorseful disposition by giving him a non-custodial sentence

But Justice Awogboro in her judgment sentenced the convict to four months imprisonment, ordering that the jail term shall commence from when he was arrested.