By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
INTERNATIONAL DRUG cartels suffered another major setback as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) secured a combined 21-year jail sentence against five members involved in the trafficking of 68.9 kilograms of cocaine and tramadol through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
According to a statement released by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Friday 7 November 2025, the convicts were prosecuted and convicted in separate cases involving the trafficking of narcotics to Australia and Gabon.
The agency stated that the first set of convicts, identified as Olasupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, and Sola Adegoke, were arrested following the interception of 17.9 kilograms of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms bound for Sydney, Australia, at the export shed of the MMIA, Lagos, on 26 August 2025.
NDLEA operatives disclosed that further investigation led to the recovery of 20.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from the residence of Ogunbiyi in Lekki. In addition, a black Range Rover SUV with registration number RBC 459 EJ was recovered from Adegoke’s residence in Ikeja GRA.
The agency stated that all three suspects were subsequently arraigned on five counts in charge number FHC/L/925C/2025 before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on 30 October 2025. Upon arraignment, they each pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.
Delivering judgment on 31 October 2025, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of the convicts to five years imprisonment without the option of fine, making a total of 15 years for the trio.
The court further ordered the forfeiture of the Range Rover SUV and a Toyota Venza car seized during investigation to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a related case, the NDLEA confirmed that two other major traffickers, Obunike Joseph Obichukwu and Uzorchukwu Godspower Chukwurah, were arrested after the interception of 2.60 kilograms of cocaine and 27.90 kilograms of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts being exported to Gabon through the Lagos airport on 19 July 2025.
The statement explained that following the conclusion of investigations, the two suspects were charged before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, under charge number FHC/L/980C/2025 on six counts relating to the trafficking of prohibited narcotics.
The NDLEA said both Obunike and Chukwurah pleaded guilty when arraigned on Tuesday, 4 November 2025. After a review of the facts presented by prosecution counsel, the court convicted and sentenced each of the defendants to three years imprisonment, with the option of paying a fine of ₦2 million in lieu of jail time.
The court also ordered that ₦4 million, which Obunike had offered as a bribe to NDLEA officers during the investigation, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The NDLEA stated that the successful prosecution of the five offenders demonstrates the agency’s commitment to dismantling international drug trafficking syndicates and curbing the movement of illicit substances through Nigeria’s borders.
The agency reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance against drug trafficking and its resolve to pursue all offenders within the law, regardless of their status or network affiliations.
The statement emphasised that all the convicts were key figures in transnational criminal networks specialising in concealing narcotics in export goods, a tactic designed to evade detection by law enforcement.
The NDLEA noted that its operatives at the MMIA command intensified surveillance operations over the past year, leading to multiple high-profile interceptions and arrests.
The agency reaffirmed that the sentencing of the offenders is part of its broader strategy to deter drug cartels from exploiting Nigerian airports for international smuggling operations. It added that intelligence sharing and collaboration with international law enforcement partners continue to yield positive results in identifying syndicates linked to Nigeria-based exporters.
According to the NDLEA, the forfeited vehicles and funds recovered from the convicts will be handed over to the Federal Government through established legal channels in accordance with the provisions of the NDLEA Act and relevant judicial directives.
The statement reiterated that the NDLEA would not relent in its nationwide operations targeting the cultivation, processing, trafficking, and consumption of illicit substances, and that the agency will continue to intensify investigations into related syndicates and their financial networks to ensure total dismantling of their operations.
The NDLEA commended its operatives for their professionalism and vigilance in intercepting the consignments and ensuring successful prosecution of the traffickers.
It also urged members of the public, particularly exporters and logistics handlers, to cooperate with the agency by reporting suspicious packages or transactions that could be linked to drug trafficking.
The agency assured Nigerians that it remains committed to maintaining transparency in its enforcement actions and to upholding the rule of law in the prosecution of all offenders.
It warned that individuals or groups involved in attempts to compromise NDLEA officers through bribery or intimidation will face additional legal consequences in accordance with Nigerian anti-corruption statutes.
The NDLEA reaffirmed its mission under the leadership of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), to rid the nation of drug cartels and ensure that Nigeria does not serve as a conduit for the movement of illicit substances across borders.
The NDLEA statement concluded that the recent convictions represent another milestone in the agency’s ongoing campaign to strengthen Nigeria’s reputation as a compliant partner in global drug law enforcement, and as a nation resolutely committed to the war against narcotics.
