March 07, 2025
By Adedoja Adesoji
Four Nigerian drug kingpins have been sentenced to a total of 95 years in prison by the Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State, for trafficking cocaine and cannabis worth over ₦4.6 billion.
The convicts, Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga, were arrested in separate operations by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi was caught with 19.40kg of cocaine concealed in 817 wraps, worth an estimated ₦4.65 billion, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on September 18, 2024.
This was not his first offence, as he was previously arrested in May 2023 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.
He was convicted in July 2023 and sentenced to two years in prison or a ₦3 million fine, which he paid to regain freedom.
As stated by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, “Ogbuji was intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos… for importing 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40 kilograms with an estimated street value of Four Billion Six Hundred and Fifty-Six Million Naira (₦4,656,000,000.00)”.
Ogbuji 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.
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, another convict, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2021, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for cocaine trafficking.
He was found to have ingested 58 wraps of the illicit drug and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don) and Zidon Zurga were arrested by NDLEA operatives on 25th November 2024 along Numan-Yola Road with 500.800kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in two vehicles.
They were sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts, bringing the combined years in jail for both of them to 70 years or a fine of ₦25 million each.
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), commended the trial courts, the teams of officers who investigated and prosecuted the three cases for their diligence and professionalism.
