Crime
Courts Sentence Four Drug Traffickers To 95 Years In Prison
The Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State, have sentenced four notorious drug traffickers to a total of 95 years in prison after convicting them of smuggling illicit drugs valued at over N4.6 billion.
The convicts — Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga — also had their luxury vehicles forfeited to the Federal Government, according to a statement issued on Friday by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, 48, was arrested on September 18, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while attempting to smuggle 817 wraps of cocaine, weighing 19.40kg, with a street value of N4.65 billion.
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This was not his first brush with the law. Babafemi revealed that Ogbuji had previously been apprehended at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 10, 2023, after arriving from Uganda via Ethiopia.
During that arrest, he was found to have ingested 93 pellets of cocaine, with a total weight of 1.986kg.
“He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12, Abuja, presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, in charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023, and convicted on July 13, 2023.
“Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment, with an option of paying a N3 million fine, which he paid and was set free,” Babafemi stated.
However, less than 16 months later, he was caught again—this time with an even larger consignment of cocaine.
Following his re-arrest, he was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in charge number FHC/L/845C, on January 16, 2025.
On February 28, 2025, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment on one count, with an option of a N7 million fine, and 10 years imprisonment on another count, without the option of a fine.
“He was eventually sentenced on 28th February to five years imprisonment on count one with an option of seven million naira fine and 10 years imprisonment on count two without an option of fine.
“In the event that he failed to pay the N7 million fine, the judge ruled that the convict will serve a total of 15 years in jail consecutively. The court ordered the forfeiture of monetary exhibits and other items found on him at the time of his arrest,” Babafemi said.
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, 51, was arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on December 31, 2021, after being found with 58 wraps of cocaine.
“While in transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he excreted 48 wraps, while the remaining 10 wraps were expelled under NDLEA custody,” Babafemi stated.
After three years of prosecution, he was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with five years on each count, running concurrently from March 5, 2025.
Meanwhile, in Adamawa State, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don) and Zidon Zurga were apprehended on November 25, 2024, along the Numan-Yola Road, while smuggling 500.8kg of skunk, a highly potent strain of cannabis.
They had hidden the illicit drugs inside a Toyota Hilux (Lagos NT 829 AAA) and a Prado SUV with a fake presidency number plate (01B-266 FG).
Following their trial before Justice Bala Usman of the Federal High Court, Yola, both men were convicted on February 7, 2025, and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts.
“The court also ordered the interim forfeiture of the two jeeps used in trafficking the illicit drug consignment,” Babafemi said.
The NDLEA reiterated its determination to dismantle drug trafficking networks across Nigeria, warning that those involved in illicit drug trade will face the full weight of the law.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a court order to arrest and detain six individuals suspected of orchestrating a cryptocurrency investment fraud worth over one billion dollars.
On Thursday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in favor of the EFCC’s ex parte application, allowing the agency to apprehend the promoters of Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).
The judge emphasized the strength of the application presented by EFCC counsel, Fadila Yusuf.
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“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel for the applicant (EFCC). I have also gone through the affidavit evidence with exhibits thereto along with the written address. I am of the view, and I so hold, that the application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted as prayed,” Justice Nwite declared.
The six individuals named in the case are Adefowora Abiodun Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo, and Chukwuebuka Ehirim.
All are accused of using their company, ST Technologies International Limited, to promote CBEX and mislead investors with promises of extraordinary returns.
According to the EFCC, intelligence received in April 2025 indicated that the suspects ran an elaborate scheme in which investors were urged to convert their digital assets into USDT, a stablecoin, and deposit them into CBEX’s wallet.
Initially, users were allowed to monitor their investments, but after accumulating deposits exceeding $1 billion, the platform reportedly became inaccessible.
The anti-graft agency’s preliminary investigation revealed that the investment platform, though promoted by a registered company, lacked proper licensing from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Additionally, the accused had allegedly vacated their known addresses in Lagos and Ogun States, making it difficult to track them down.
Fadila Yusuf, representing the EFCC, argued that the defendants’ actions violated several laws and that arrest warrants were crucial to advance the investigation.
She noted that the EFCC received actionable intelligence alleging various criminal activities involving the suspects, and stressed the commission’s responsibility in preventing and investigating financial crimes.
“The defendants are at large, and a warrant of arrest is required to arrest the defendants for proper investigation and prosecution of this case,” Yusuf said.
The commission has requested that the suspects be placed on the red watch list to facilitate their apprehension.
It maintains that granting the application serves the interest of justice and is necessary to proceed with prosecution based on the evidence gathered so far.
A TikTok content creator, Emmanuel Ajibade, appeared before an Akure Magistrates’ Court on Thursday over allegations of cyberbullying a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer.
According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Taiwo Oniyere, the incident took place in the Higher Height Area of Orita Obele in Akure.
Oniyere explained that Ajibade, along with unidentified accomplices still at large, conspired to commit a series of offences including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and criminal defamation.
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The prosecutor claimed that Ajibade used his TikTok account, checkers69, to circulate false information with the intention of causing public nuisance and targeting an FRSC official, Ibitoye Samuel.
“His action also resulted in intimidation, enmity and hatred, ill will and needless anxiety for Ibitoye Samuel, an official of FRSC in the state,” Oniyere told the court.
He added that the offences violated Section 27(b) and Section 24(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015.
Based on these allegations, Oniyere urged the court to order Ajibade’s remand in a correctional facility under Section 269(2)(b) of the Nigerian legal code.
Ajibade’s legal representative, Mr. A. F. Awala, responded by requesting a short adjournment to enable the defence team to file a counter-affidavit.
In her ruling, Chief Magistrate Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi ordered that the defendant be held at the SWAT Police Station rather than a correctional centre.
She also instructed the police to ensure Ajibade receives necessary medical care while in custody.
The case was adjourned until April 30, 2025, for mention.
A senior lecturer at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Dr Usman Aliyu, has been dismissed from his position following allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by a postgraduate student, Mrs Kamila Rufai Aliyu.
The decision was ratified during the university’s 96th regular council meeting held on April 11, 2025, and made public through the ATBU Herald (Vol. 39 No. 5, April 22), the institution’s official publication.
The dismissal came after the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee found Dr Aliyu guilty of misconduct.
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The disciplinary panel concluded that the lecturer engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Mrs Kamila Aliyu, a married student from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Technology.
According to the university’s dismissal letter, “Following the report of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee that found you guilty of an indecent relationship involving a student of the university, Mrs Kamila Rufai Aliyu… the council has subsequently approved your dismissal from the services of the university with immediate effect.”
Mrs Aliyu had submitted a petition to the university in 2024, accusing Dr Aliyu of sexually harassing her and alleging that he threatened to jeopardize her academic progress if she refused his advances.
In response to the accusations, Dr Aliyu filed a defamation lawsuit against the student, her department, and the university. Despite the legal action, the university continued its internal investigation, which led to the eventual dismissal.
The university noted that the decision was in accordance with “Chapter 3, Item F, I (o) of the Senior Staff Conditions of Service of the University,” as stated in a release by the Senior Deputy Registrar, Senior Staff Establishment, Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman.
Furthermore, the lecturer has been instructed to return all university belongings in his custody.
“You are hereby directed to hand over all the property of the university in your possession to the Head of Department and your identification card to the Chief Security Officer of the university,” the letter added.
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