Five members of some international organised criminal groups (IOCG) recently arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in connection with the seizure of 68.9 kilograms cocaine and tramadol at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos have been sentenced to combined 21 years imprisonment.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Friday.

Babafemi said the trio of Olasupo Michael Oladimeji; Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi; and Sola Adegoke who are leaders of one of the cartels was arrested following the seizure of 17.9 kilograms of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms going to Sydney, Australia at the export shed of the MMIA Lagos on 26th August 2025.

He said in the course of investigation, 20.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from Ogunbiyi?s home in Lekki and a black Range Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ found in Adegoke?s residence in Ikeja GRA.

Babafemi said they were subsequently arraigned on five counts in charge number FHC/L/925C/2025 before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos on 30th October 2025.

He said the accused persons later pleaded guilty to the charges against each of them.

The statement reads: ?Delivering his judgement on 31st October, Justice Kakaki sentenced each of them to five years imprisonment without the option of fine, bringing the total number of years in jail for the three of them to 15 years.

?The court further ordered that the Range Rover SUV and a Toyota Venza Car seized from the convicts in the course of the investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

?Similarly, two kingpins of another syndicate: Obunike Joseph Obichukwu and Uzorchukwu Godspower Chukwurah were arrested by NDLEA operatives following the seizure of 2.60kg cocaine and 27.90kg tramadol concealed in motor spare parts being taken to Gabon through the Lagos airport on 19th July 2025.

?At the end of investigation, the duo were charged and arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court Lagos on six counts in charge number FHC/L/980C.

?Upon their arraignment on Tuesday 4th November, they both pleaded guilty and after a review of the facts of the case, the two defendants were convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment or payment of a fine of N2million each in lieu of jail while the N4m paid by Obunike to bribe NDLEA officers was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.? (THE NATION)

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