Five Drug Kingpins Jailed for 21 Years as NDLEA Secures Major Convictions

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the conviction of five suspected transnational drug traffickers involved in attempts to export cocaine, tramadol and other illicit substances from Nigeria to Australia and Gabon.

The convicts, described as members of international organised criminal groups, collectively bagged 21 years imprisonment, with their luxury vehicles and proceeds of crime ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.

According to the NDLEA, three of the convicts – identified as Olasupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, and Sola Adegoke – were arrested after officers intercepted 17.9 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside textile materials and local charms at the export shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on 26 August 2025. The shipment was headed to Sydney, Australia.

Further investigations led operatives to Ogunbiyi’s residence in Lekki where 20.5 kilogrammes of a premium-grade cannabis strain, known as Canadian Loud, was recovered. In addition, a black Range Rover SUV with registration number RBC 459 EJ was recovered from Adegoke’s residence at Ikeja GRA.

The trio were arraigned on a five-count charge before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on 30 October 2025. They later pleaded guilty.

In his judgement delivered on 31 October, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of the three to five years imprisonment without an option of fine, totalling 15 years for the group. He further ordered that the seized Range Rover and a Toyota Venza impounded during investigations be forfeited to the Federal Government.

In a related case, two other drug cartel leaders – Obunike Joseph Obichukwu and Uzorchukwu Godspower Chukwurah – were apprehended in relation to another consignment of 2.60 kilogrammes of cocaine and 27.90 kilogrammes of tramadol, concealed in motor spare parts and destined for Gabon via the Lagos airport on 19 July 2025.

Following investigations, they were arraigned on six counts before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Tuesday, 4 November 2025. The duo pleaded guilty and were subsequently convicted.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa sentenced them to three years imprisonment each, with an option of paying a fine of N2 million apiece. The court also ordered the forfeiture of N4 million, which Obunike attempted to use to bribe NDLEA operatives during the investigation.

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development in a statement issued from the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, noting that the latest convictions reaffirm the Agency’s resolve to dismantle transnational drug networks using Nigerian airports for illicit export.