Four Drug Kingpins Sentenced to 95 Years in Jail, Forfeit Luxury Vehicles, Cash in Landmark NDLEA Victory

…Marwa Commends Judiciary and NDLEA Commands, Says Conviction Will Strengthen War Against Drug Cartels

Four drug kingpins — Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga — have been convicted and sentenced to a combined 95 years in prison for trafficking cocaine and skunk valued at over N4.6 billion.

The convictions were secured by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State.

Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, a 48-year-old businessman, was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, 18th September 2024.

He was arrested during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos, after being found in possession of 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of N4.656 billion.

This was not Ogbuji’s first encounter with the law. On 10th May 2023, he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, upon arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951.

On that occasion, he ingested 93 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.986kg. He was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon (Charge No:

FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023) and convicted on 13th July 2023. Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of a N3 million fine, which he paid and was released.

However, his criminal activities resumed shortly after his release. Following his latest arrest at the Lagos airport in September 2024, Ogbuji was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos (Charge No: FHC/L/845C) on 16th January 2025.

On 28th February 2025, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment on count one with an option of a N7 million fine and 10 years imprisonment on count two without an option of a fine.

The court ruled that if Ogbuji failed to pay the N7 million fine, he would serve a total of 15 years in prison consecutively. The court also ordered the forfeiture of cash exhibits and other items found on him at the time of his arrest.

Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, 51, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2021, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for cocaine trafficking.

Investigations revealed that Iloduba had ingested 58 wraps of cocaine, expelling 48 while on transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the remaining 10 while in NDLEA custody after his arrest on 1st January 2022.

He was arraigned on two counts before Justice Folashade Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Enugu (Charge No: FHC/EN/CR/18/2022).

After three years of prosecution, Iloduba was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count. The sentences will run concurrently, amounting to a total of 10 years in prison from the date of his conviction on Wednesday, 5th March 2025.

Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), 55, and Zidon Zurga, 50, were apprehended by NDLEA operatives on 25th November 2024 along the Numan-Yola road.

They were found transporting 500.800kg of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in a Toyota Hilux with registration number Lagos NT 829 AAA and a Prado SUV with a fake presidency number plate 01B-266 FG.

Both men were arraigned before Justice Bala Usman at the Federal High Court, Yola (Charge No: FHC/YL/150/2024). On 7th February 2025, they were convicted and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts, bringing their combined sentence to 70 years.

The court also imposed a fine of N25 million each and ordered the interim forfeiture of the two jeeps used in transporting the illegal drugs.

Reacting to the convictions, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the judiciary and the NDLEA commands involved in the successful investigation and prosecution of the cases.

He specifically commended the MMIA Strategic Command in Lagos, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Special Area Command in Enugu, and the Adamawa State Command for their professionalism and commitment.

Marwa stated, “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.”