Four notorious drug kingpins have been sentenced to a total of 95 years in prison by the Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State, following their conviction for trafficking cocaine and skunk worth over 4.6 billion naira.
The convicts, including Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga, also had their luxury vehicles forfeited to the Federal Government.
In a statement on Friday by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Femi Babafemi, said Ogbuji, 48, was arrested by operatives of the NDLEA on September 18, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers from Addis Ababa.
Babafemi said he was caught importing 817 wraps of cocaine, weighing 19.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of 4.65 billion naira.
Babafemi said Iloduba, 51, was arrested on December 31, 2021, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for ingesting 58 wraps of cocaine.
While in transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Babafemi said he excreted 48 wraps, while the remaining 10 wraps were expelled under NDLEA custody.
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 Isa and Zidon Zurga, he said they were apprehended on November 25, 2024, along Numan-Yola Road while trafficking 500.8 kg of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
He said they concealed the illicit drugs in a Toyota Hilux (marked Lagos NT 829 AAA) and a Prado SUV bearing a fake presidency number plate (01B-266 FG).
Babafemi said following their trial before Justice Bala Usman of the Federal High Court, Yola, they were convicted on February 7, 2025, and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts.
The court also ordered the interim forfeiture of the two jeeps used in trafficking the illicit drug consignment.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), while reacting to the conviction of the trio, 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.
He said “the conviction and the forfeiture of the convicts’ instruments of crime will further strengthen the deterrent effect of our ongoing effort to totally dismantle every drug network in the country.”
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