Drug Lords Bags 28 Years, Forefiets House and Cash
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has gotten drug kingpins arrested in connection with the historic seizure of 2,139.55 kilogrammes of cocaine at an Ikorodu residential estate in 2022.
They were convicted by a Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro, who sentenced them to various jail terms totaling 28 years with hard labour.
The convicts, Soji Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44, a Jamaican, were charged with six counts in charge number FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December 2022. The trial of the fifth suspect, Oguntolure Sunday, who was arraigned along with them, is still ongoing in court.
The charges border on conspiracy to form and operate a drug trafficking organisation (DTO); management and financing of a DTO; importation and possession of 2,139.55 kilogrammes of cocaine, among others.
A press statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, read: operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA had in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation on Sunday 18th September 2022, raided a house located at 6 Olukuola Crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, Lagos where the over 2.1 tons of cocaine were seized, the most significant singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s anti-narcotic operations.
He added that the drug kingpins were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between the night of Sunday 18th and Monday 19th September 2022.
Babafemi said that after over two years of diligent prosecution, the trial judge handed the Jamaican Kelvin Smith four years imprisonment with hard labour; Emmanuel Chukwu got a total of 16 years; Soji Oke got five years with hard labour, and Wasiu Akinade three years with hard labour.
He disclosed that the trial judge, however, gave the convicts varying options of fine, with the exception of one who will serve his full jail term without an option of fine.
Babafemi said they were also to forfeit a grey Toyota Tacoma SUV marked AAA-734HT registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu, $50,000:00 belonging to Chukwu, N55,099,509.50 also belonging to Chukwu, the sum of N9,003,168.06 belonging to Wasiu Akinade, and N3,052,295.20 also belonging to Akinade.
The spokesman said the agency also secured the final forfeiture of two houses linked to members of the drug cartel in another suit marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024, filed before Justice Bogoro on 9 December 2024 after an initial interim forfeiture order.
The trial judge said: “That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number 6 Olokunola Street, Sholebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 2A, 2B, and 2C attached to this application used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55 kilogrammes (More Than Two Tons) Cocaine, an illicit substance similar to Heroin and LSD.
That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1,
Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lagos, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 3 attached to this application, reasonably believed to be bought with proceeds derived
from trafficking in illicit drug substances (proceeds of crime) as in relief 1 of this Motion.
“That an Order is granted directing the sale or disposal by any other means provided by law of the forfeited House/Landed Property by the Applicant and the payment of the proceeds therefrom to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending all the officers and men of the agency involved in the extensive investigation and prosecution of members of the drug cartel, said the case is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they’ll not only go to jail but will equally lose all their investments in illicit drug consignments including all the properties and wealth acquired through the criminal trade.
