Drug Trafficking: Court Orders Temporary Forfeiture Of Lekki Hotel

Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court has ordered the temporary forfeiture of a hotel, Extended Stay Hotel, located in the Lekki area of the state, allegedly acquired with the proceeds of drug trafficking.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) told the judge that the hotel allegedly belongs to the head of a drug trafficking organisation known as Victor Falugba.

Justice Kakaki ordered the forfeiture and attachment of the hotel after entertaining a motion ex parte marked FHC/L/MISC/846/2025, moved by Buhari Abdullahi, a lawyer from the NDLEA.

Abdullahi specifically asked the court for an order of preservation/attachment in favour of the federal government for the Extended Stay Hotel, including its furniture, fittings, fixtures, electronics, and electrical appliances used as instruments for committing drug offences.

The lawyer also urged the court to order an order vesting the custody of Extended Stay Hotel and its assets to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, pending the final determination of this action.

He further prayed for an order directing the applicant to publish the details of the properties in a national daily newspaper for 14 days for third-party claims.

In his ruling, Justice Kakaki stated, “I have read through the processes; the application has merit, and I hereby grant it.”

He then adjourned the matter to October 16 for further hearing.

In the affidavit filed in support of the application which was sworn to by a Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Nasiru Bagudu, the NDLEA claimed “That sometime in April 2025, we received credible information regarding the activities of a Drug Trafficking Organization that specializes in the distribution of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis Sativa, as well as financing other drug activities at Extended Stay Hotel located at 21 Oladimeji Alo, off Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, and around beaches in Lagos.

“We conducted a series of surveillance operations on this Drug Trafficking Organisation and identified some of its members and their operating base, which is a storage facility at the Extended Stay Hotel, used as an instrumentality for committing various illicit drug and harmful chemical activities.’’