NDLEA Secures Convictions As 5 Drug Kingpins Bag 21 Years Imprisonment

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured convictions against five members of internationally organised criminal groups who have been sentenced to a combined 21 years’ imprisonment.

The convicts were recently arrested in connection with the seizure of 68.9kg of cocaine and tramadol at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The trio of Olasupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, and Sola Adegoke, leaders of one of the cartels, were apprehended following the interception of 17.9kg of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms bound for Sydney, Australia, at the MMIA export shed on 26 August 2025.

During the investigation, 20.5kg of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, were recovered from Ogunbiyi’s residence in Lekki, while a black Range Rover SUV with registration number RBC 459 EJ was found in Adegoke’s home in Ikeja GRA.

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

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the accused persons later pleaded guilty to the charges.

Delivering his judgment on 31 October, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of them to five years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine, bringing the total jail term for the trio to 15 years.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of the Range Rover SUV and a Toyota Venza car seized during the investigation to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Similarly, two kingpins of another syndicate, Obunike Joseph Obichukwu and Uzorchukwu Godspower Chukwurah, were arrested by NDLEA operatives following the seizure of 2.60kg of cocaine and 27.90kg of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts destined for Gabon through the Lagos airport on 19 July 2025.

Following investigation, the duo were charged and arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on six counts under charge number FHC/L/980C.

Upon their arraignment on Tuesday, 4 November, they both pleaded guilty. After reviewing the facts of the case, the court convicted and sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment or payment of a fine of N2 million each in lieu of jail.

The N4 million offered by Obunike as a bribe to NDLEA officers was also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.