NDLEA Secures 21-Year Combined Jail Term for Five Drug Dealers

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the conviction of five members of an international organized criminal groups (IOCG).

The convicted cartel members are involved in the trafficking of 68.9 kilograms of cocaine and tramadol through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The convicts were sentenced to a combined 21 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Lagos, after separate prosecutions led by NDLEA operatives.

According to a statement released on Friday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the trio, Olasupo Michael-Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola-Ogunbiyi, and Sola Adegoke, were arrested following the seizure of 17.9 kilograms of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms.

The drugs were intercepted on 26th August 2025 at the MMIA export shed where they were being prepared to be smuggled to Sydney, Australia.

During investigation, NDLEA operatives recovered an additional 20.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from Ogunbiyi’s residence in Lekki, and a black Range Rover SUV (RBC 459 EJ) from Adegoke’s home in Ikeja GRA.

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

They pleaded guilty to all charges. In his judgment delivered on 31st October 2025, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of them to five years imprisonment without the option of fine, bringing the total 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.

In a related case, two other cartel members, Obunike Joseph-Obichukwu and Uzorchukwu Godspower-Chukwurah, were convicted for attempting to export 2.60 kilograms of cocaine and 27.90 kilograms of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts bound for Gabon.

The illicit shipment was intercepted on 19th July 2025 by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport.

After investigation, the suspects were arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on six counts under charge number FHC/L/980C/2025.

Upon their arraignment on Tuesday, 4th November 2025, they both pleaded guilty. The court convicted and sentenced each of them to three years imprisonment or a fine of ₦2 million in lieu of jail.

The court further ordered that the ₦4 million offered by Obunike as a bribe to NDLEA officers be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.