crime

Court Jails Lagos Drug Dealer Over Cocaine, Cannabis

Published

5 months ago

May 20, 2026

Lagos drug dealer conviction sees court sentence man to 24 months imprisonment over cocaine and cannabis offences

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a 44-year-old man, Olalowo Olatunji, to 24 months’ imprisonment for unlawful dealing in cocaine and Cannabis sativa, popularly known as Indian hemp or marijuana.

Also read: NDLEA Seizes N10.4bn Cannabis Shipment at Lagos Port

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa delivered the judgment after Olatunji pleaded guilty to a two-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

The NDLEA prosecuting counsel, Peter Ekuri, told the court that the convict was arrested on March 8, 2026, at Victoria Island, Lagos, while hawking 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of cannabis sativa.

Ekuri stated that the offences contravened Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Upon arraignment, Olatunji admitted committing the offences and entered guilty pleas to both counts.

Following the plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

Addressing the court in his allocutus, defence counsel, Uche Okoronkwo, appealed for mercy, describing his client as a first-time offender who had cooperated with the judicial process.

“My lord, Olatunji is a first-time offender and has not wasted the precious time of this honourable court. We urge the court to temper justice with mercy,” he said.

Okoronkwo further urged the court to consider a non-custodial sentence or an option of fine instead of imprisonment.

In his judgment, Justice Lewis-Allagoa held that the convict deserved some measure of leniency because he was a first-time offender and the quantity of drugs recovered was relatively small.

“The convict is a first-time offender, and the quantity of narcotics recovered from him is not substantial enough to warrant the maximum punishment,” the judge ruled.

The court sentenced Olatunji to 12 months’ imprisonment on each of the two counts, with an option of a N1m fine on each count, bringing the total fine option to N2m.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa further ordered that both prison terms and the fine options should run concurrently.

Also read: NDLEA Edo Seizes Massive Drugs, Arrests 29 Suspects

The Lagos drug dealer conviction adds to recent enforcement actions by the NDLEA against narcotics trafficking and illicit drug distribution across Nigeria.

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crime

Police Arrest Convicted Drug Dealer, Rescue 14-Year-Old Boy in Bauchi

Published

16 hours ago

October 27, 2026

Peculiar Adirika

Bauchi drug dealer arrest leads to the rescue of a 14-year-old boy allegedly used as a drug courier and the recovery of suspected illicit substances

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old convicted drug dealer and rescued a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly being used to deliver illicit drugs in the state.

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The command said operatives of its Violent Crimes Response Unit intercepted the teenager during a routine patrol and recovered a granular whitish substance suspected to be methamphetamine.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

According to Habib, the operatives, led by the unit’s officer-in-charge, intercepted the minor, identified as Samuel Nkemakolan Kosi, at about 11 am on October 26, 2026, while he was allegedly on his way to deliver the suspected drug, also known as Ice, to a customer.

The statement said the teenager told investigators that he had been sent by Samuel Ogochukwu, a 22-year-old convicted drug dealer, to make the delivery.

“Upon interrogation, the minor confessed that he was sent by one Samuel Ogochukwu, 22 years old, a convicted drug dealer, to make the delivery,” Habib said.

Following the information, detectives traced Ogochukwu to his location and arrested him.

A search of the suspect’s shop and residence reportedly led to the recovery of 3.5 grammes of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine, 17 sachets of 100mg tramadol capsules, five sachets of 300mg pregabalin capsules and seven sachets of diazepam.

The police also recovered 12 Exol tablets, two wraps of a substance known as Yellow Boys and one sachet of Shine Shine Leather.

Habib said the principal suspect told investigators that he received supplies of illicit drugs through waybills from Onitsha, Anambra State.

The police spokesman added that the 14-year-old had been handled in accordance with juvenile best practices and would be reunited with his family after counselling.

“The 14-year-old minor has been handled in line with juvenile best practices and will be reunited with his family after counselling, while the principal suspect will be charged to court upon completion of investigation,” the statement said.

The Commissioner of Police in Bauchi State, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, commended the operatives for their work and urged the public to remain alert to criminal activity.

According to Habib, the commissioner said four major drug busts and subsequent convictions recorded within 10 days demonstrated the command’s continued efforts to combat drug trafficking.