The Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State, have sentenced four drug traffickers to a total of 95 years in prison for trafficking cocaine and cannabis worth over N4.6 billion.
The convicts identified as Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga, were arrested in separate operations by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy in a statement on Friday, said Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi was intercepted on September 18, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while arriving from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He was caught with 19.40kg of cocaine concealed in 817 wraps, worth an estimated N4.65 billion.
According to the statement, this was not his first offence. Ogbuji was previously arrested in May 2023 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.
He was convicted in July 2023 and sentenced to two years in prison or a N3 million fine, which he paid to regain freedom.
The statement partly reads, “Ogbuji was intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos on Wednesday 18th September 2024 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos for importing 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40 kilograms with an estimated street value of Four Billion Six Hundred and Fifty-Six Million Naira (N4,656,000,000.00).
“That was barely 16 months after the 48-year-old businessman was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine. He was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, on Wednesday 10th May 2023 upon arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951 for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.986kg.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12 Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on 13th July 2023. Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00), which he paid and was set free.
“Not done with crime, Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport with the large consignment of cocaine on 18th September 2024, after which he was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos in charge number: FHC/L/845C on 16th January 2025.
“He was eventually sentenced on 28th February to five years imprisonment on count one with an option of seven million naira fine and 10 years imprisonment on count two without an option of fine.
“In the event that he failed to pay the N7million fine, the judge ruled that the convict will serve a total of 15 years in jail consecutively. The court ordered the forfeiture of monetary exhibits and other items found on him at the time of his arrest.
“In his own case, 51-year-old Iludoba was arrested by NDLEA operatives on New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2021 at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for cocaine trafficking.
“He was found to have ingested 58 wraps of the illicit drug, 48 of which he excreted on transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while he expelled the balance of 10 in NDLEA custody after his arrest on 1st January 2022. He was thereafter arraigned on two counts in charge number FHC/EN/CR/18/2022 before Justice Folashade Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Enugu.
“After three years of diligent prosecution, Iludoba was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count, bringing his total years in jail to 10 years, which will run concurrently from the date of his conviction, Wednesday 5th March 2025.
“In the case of Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), 55, and Zidon Zurga, 50, they were arrested by NDLEA operatives on 25th November 2024 along Numan- Yola Road with 500.800kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in a pilot Toyota Hilux vehicle marked Lagos NT 829 AAA and a Prado SUV with a fake presidency number plate 01B-266 FG.
“They were later arraigned before Justice Bala Usman in charge number: FHC/YL/150 /2024 and convicted on 7th February 2025 to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts, bringing the combined years in jail for both of them to 70 years or pay a fine of N25 million each. The court also ordered the interim forfeiture of the two jeeps used in trafficking the illicit drug consignment.
“Reacting to the conviction of the trio, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the trial courts, the teams of officers who investigated and prosecuted the three cases at the MMIA Strategic Command in Lagos, Akanu Ibiam International Airport Special Area Command, Enugu and the Adamawa State Command for their diligence and professionalism.
