In a landmark crackdown on drug trafficking, four notorious Nigerian drug kingpins have been sentenced to a cumulative 95 years in prison by the Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State. The convicts—Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga—were found guilty of trafficking cocaine and cannabis worth over ₦4.6 billion in separate operations carried out by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Leading the pack of convicts is Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, who was intercepted on September 18, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while arriving from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. NDLEA operatives discovered 19.40kg of cocaine concealed in 817 wraps, valued at a staggering ₦4.65 billion.
However, this was not Ogbuji’s first brush with the law. In May 2023, he was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.986kg. Convicted in July 2023, he was handed a two-year jail term with an option to pay a ₦3 million fine, which he paid to regain freedom.
Despite this, Ogbuji plunged back into the illicit trade, leading to his re-arrest at MMIA in September 2024. On January 16, 2025, he was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos. On February 28, 2025, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment on count one (with an option of ₦7 million fine) and 10 years imprisonment on count two (without an option of fine). If he fails to pay the fine, his total sentence extends to 15 years.
Another convict, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, 51, was arrested on December 31, 2021, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, while attempting to smuggle cocaine. Investigations revealed that he had ingested 58 wraps of cocaine, excreting 48 in transit through Ethiopia and the remaining 10 while in NDLEA custody.
After a three-year trial, Justice Folashade Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Enugu, found Iloduba guilty on March 5, 2025. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment on each of two counts, totaling 10 years. His jail term will run concurrently from the date of conviction.
Meanwhile, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), 55, and Zidon Zurga, 50, were apprehended by NDLEA operatives on November 25, 2024, along the Numan-Yola Road while transporting 500.800kg of skunk (a potent strain of cannabis) in two luxury vehicles—a Toyota Hilux with registration NTNT 829 AAA and a Prado SUV bearing a fake presidential number plate (01B-266 FG).
Both traffickers were subsequently charged before Justice Bala Usman of the Federal High Court, Yola, under case number FHC/YL/150/2024. On February 7, 2025, the court sentenced them to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts, making a total of 70 years behind bars. They were also given an option of a ₦25 million fine each. Additionally, the court ordered the interim forfeiture of their luxury vehicles used for smuggling the illicit drugs.
Reacting to the judgments, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended the courts for delivering justice swiftly. He praised the MMIA Strategic Command in Lagos, Akanu Ibiam International Airport Special Area Command, Enugu, and the Adamawa State Command for their relentless pursuit of drug traffickers.
“These convictions send a clear message that Nigeria will not tolerate drug barons operating with impunity. The NDLEA remains committed to dismantling drug networks and ensuring offenders face the full wrath of the law,” Marwa stated.
With Nigeria ramping up its war on drug trafficking, the sentencing of these four kingpins signals a tougher stance against drug syndicates. The NDLEA’s efforts continue to yield groundbreaking arrests, and these convictions reinforce the country’s commitment to curbing the drug menace.
As the legal noose tightens around traffickers, the message is loud and clear—crime does not pay, and justice will always prevail.
PIONEER NEWS 