Five members of International Organised Criminal Groups (IOCG) recently arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have been sentenced to a combined 21 years imprisonment.
They were convicted in connection with the seizure of 68.9 kilograms of cocaine and tramadol at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
A trio – Olasupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, and Sola 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 going to Sydney, Australia, at the export shed of the MMIA, Lagos, on August 26.
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.
They were subsequently arraigned on five counts in suit no. FHC/L/925C/2025 before Justice Musa Kakaki of a Federal High Court, Lagos on October 30.
The defendants later pleaded guilty to the charges against them, according to
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement sent to Persecondnews on Friday, November 7.
Delivering his judgement on October 31, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of them to five years imprisonment without the option of fine, bringing the total number of years in jail for the three of them to 15 years.
The court further ordered that the Range Rover SUV and a Toyota Venza Car seized from the convicts in the course of 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 2.60 kg of cocaine and 27.90 kg of tramadol concealed in motor‑spare‑parts being taken to Gabon through the Lagos airport on July 19.
At the end of the investigation, the duo was charged and arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis‑Allagoa of a Federal High Court in Lagos on six counts.
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 or payment of a fine of N2 million each in lieu of jail.
Also, the court ordered that the N4 million paid by Obunike to bribe NDLEA officers be forfeited to the Federal Government.
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