By Kingsley Omonobi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured a combined 95-year sentence for four convicted drug kingpins, including Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (also known as Don), and Zidon Zurga, for trafficking cocaine and high-potency cannabis (skunk) worth over ₦4.6 billion.

The Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State handed down the sentences following separate convictions.

NDLEA operatives arrested Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on September 18, 2024, during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers arriving from Addis Ababa. He was caught importing 817 wraps of cocaine, weighing 19.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of N4.65 billion.

This was just 16 months after he had previously been arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.

Ogbuji was first arrested on May 10, 2023, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after arriving from Uganda via Addis Ababa. He was found to have ingested 1.986 kg of cocaine.

He was convicted on July 13, 2023, by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja (Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023) and sentenced to two years imprisonment or a N3 million fine, which he paid to secure his release.

Undeterred, Ogbuji was re-arrested at Lagos Airport on September 18, 2024, with a larger cocaine consignment.

He was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos (Charge No: FHC/L/845C) on January 16, 2025 and sentenced on February 28, 2025 to:

Five years imprisonment on Count One, with an option of a N7 million fine

Ten years imprisonment on Count Two, without an option of a fine.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/four-drug-kingpins-jailed-for-95-years-over-4-6bn-narcotics-trafficking/