A High Court in Lagos has imposed a collective prison sentence of 28 years on four drug traffickers connected to the record seizure of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine in a residential estate in Ikorodu in 2022.
According to a statement from the National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the court’s ruling came after the convicts were found guilty by Justice Yellim Bogoro.
The individuals sentenced include Soji Jubril Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44, a Jamaican national. They faced six charges under case number FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December of 2022, while the trial of their co-defendant, Oguntolure Sunday, remains ongoing.
The charges pertain to conspiracy to create and manage a drug trafficking organisation (DTO), overseeing and financing a DTO, and the importation and possession of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine, among other offences.
On September 18, 2022, NDLEA operatives from a specialised operations unit conducted a coordinated and intelligence-driven raid on a residence located at 6 Olukuola Crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, Lagos, resulting in the seizure of over 2.1 tons of cocaine, marking the largest single cocaine seizure in Nigeria’s anti-narcotics efforts.
The drug kingpins were apprehended at various hotels and hideouts across Lagos between the night of Sunday, September 18, and the morning of Monday, September 19, 2022.
After more than two years of thorough legal proceedings, the presiding judge sentenced Jamaican national Kelvin Christopher Smith to four years of hard labour; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu received a total of 16 years; Soji Jubril Oke was given a five-year sentence with hard labour, while Wasiu Akinade was sentenced to three years with hard labour.
The judge, however, presented the convicts with different options for fines, except for one individual who must serve their entire jail term without the option of a fine.
In addition, they are required to forfeit a grey Toyota Tacoma SUV registered to Emmanuel Chukwu; $50,000 belonging to Chukwu; N55,099,509.50 also tied to Chukwu; as well as N9,003,168.06 belonging to Wasiu Akinade and N3,052,295.20, also linked to Akinade.
In another case marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024 and submitted to Justice Bogoro on December 9, 2024, following an initial interim forfeiture order, the NDLEA secured the final forfeiture of two properties associated with cartel members.
“The government of Nigeria is granted an order of final forfeiture and confiscation concerning Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1, Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lagos, as indicated in Exhibit NDLEA 3, believed to have been acquired with proceeds from illegal drug trafficking (proceeds of crime) as per relief 1 of this Motion.
“An order is issued directing the sale or alternate lawful disposal of the forfeited property by the Applicant, with the proceeds being remitted to the Government of Nigeria.”
While praising the efforts of all agency personnel involved in the comprehensive investigation and prosecution of the drug cartel members, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) stated that this case represents a significant blow to drug cartels, serving as a stern warning that they will face imprisonment and forfeiture of all assets linked to the illicit drug trade, including properties and wealth accumulated through illegal activities.
