The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured a combined 21-year jail term for five drug traffickers arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The five members of some international organised criminal groups (IOCG) were recently arrested by NDLEA operatives in connection with the seizure of 68.9 kilograms of cocaine and tramadol at the Lagos airport.
According to a statement made available to ThelensNG by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the trio of Olasupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, and Shola Adegoke, who are leaders of one of the cartels, were arrested following the seizure of 17.9 kilograms of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms destined for Sydney, Australia, at the export shed of the MMIA on August 26, 2025.
“In the course of investigation, 20.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from Ogunbiyi’s home in Lekki and a black Range Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ found in Adegoke’s residence in Ikeja GRA,” the statement noted.
Babafemi revealed that the trio were subsequently arraigned on five counts in charge number FHC/L/925C/2025 before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on October 30, 2025. Consequently, the accused persons pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Delivering his judgement on October 31, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of them to five years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine, bringing the total number of years in jail for the three of them to 15.
The court also ordered that the Range Rover SUV and a Toyota Venza car seized from the convicts during the investigation be forfeited 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 cocaine and 27.90kg tramadol concealed in motor spare parts being exported to Gabon through the Lagos airport on July 19, 2025.
At the end of the investigation, the duo were charged and arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on six counts in charge number FHC/L/980C.
Upon their arraignment on Tuesday, November 4, they both pleaded guilty and after a review of the facts of the case, the two defendants were convicted and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment each or payment of a fine of ₦2 million in lieu of jail. The ₦4 million paid by Obunike to bribe NDLEA officers was also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
