A Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday sentenced 4 drug kingpins arrested in connection with the historic seizure of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine at Ikorodu residential estate in 2022 to 28 years imprisonment.
The court presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro sentenced them to various jail terms with hard labour.
The convicts were identified as Soji Jubril Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44.
A Jamaican was charged with six counts in charge number: FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December 2022, while the trial of the fifth suspect, Oguntolure Sunday arraigned along with them is still ongoing.
It was learnt that the charges border on conspiracy to form and operate a drug trafficking organization, management and financing of a DTO, importation and possession of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine, among others.
Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, stated that an operative of a special operations unit of NDLEA had in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation Sunday, September18, 2022 raided a house located at 6 Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, Lagos where the over 2.1 tons of cocaine were seized.
“It was the largest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s anti-narcotic operations. The drug kingpins were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between the night of Sunday and Monday, September 18 and 19, 2022.
“After over two years of diligent prosecution, the trial judge handed the Jamaican, Kelvin Christopher Smith four years imprisonment with hard labour, Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu got a total of 16 years, Soji Jubril Oke got five years with hard labour and Wasiu Akinade three years with hard labour. The trial judge however gave the convicts varying options of fine with the exception of one of them who will serve his full jail term without an option of fine.
“They were also to forfeit a grey colour Toyota Tacoma SUV marked AAA-734HT registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu while the sum of $50,000:00 USD and N55, 099.509.50 million belonging to Chukwu and the the sum of N9,003,168.06 million belonging to Wasiu Akinade and N3,052,295.20 million also traced to Akinade’s account,” he said.
Meanwhile, the agency in another suit marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024 and filed before Justice Bogoro on December 9, 2024 after an initial interim forfeiture order, secured the final forfeiture of two houses linked to members of the drug cartel.
The trial court 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, Lagos state, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 2A, 2B, and 2C attached to this application used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55kg (More Than Two Tons) cocaine, an illicit substance similar to heroin and LSD.”