The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced that four drug kingpins have been convicted and sentenced to prison by the Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi stated on Friday that the individuals were found guilty of trafficking cocaine and skunk valued at over N4.6 billion. The convicted traffickers include Ifeanyi Ogbuji, Iloduba Chinonye, Shuaibu Isa (alias Don), and Zidon Zurga.
Ogbuji was apprehended by NDLEA operatives on September 18, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while attempting to import 19.40 kilograms of cocaine, comprised of 817 wraps, valued at N4.6 billion. Notably, this incident occurred just 16 months after his previous arrest for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.
Initially detained on May 10, 2023, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon arriving from Uganda, Ogbuji faced trial and was convicted on July 13, 2023, receiving a two-year sentence, with an alternative N3 million fine, which he paid to secure his release.
However, he was arrested again in 2024 with a significantly larger cocaine haul. Following his arraignment on January 16, 2025, he was sentenced on February 28 to five years in prison for one count and ten years for another, with a N7 million fine as an alternative.
Iloduba Chinonye, 51, was arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport on December 31, 2021, for trafficking cocaine, having ingested 58 wraps of the substance. After a thorough investigation, he was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison, running concurrently from March 5.
Shuaibu Isa (Don), 55, and Zidon Zurga, 50, were captured on November 25, 2024, with 500.8 kg of skunk concealed in vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux and a Prado SUV. They were convicted on February 7, 2025, to 35 years in prison each or a fine of N25 million, along with the forfeiture of the vehicles used in the trafficking.
In response to these convictions, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, praised the involved trial courts and the NDLEA officers responsible for the investigations and prosecutions.
