The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) achieved a collective 95-year sentence for four drug kingpins—Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (also known as Don), and Zidon Zurga—convicted of trafficking cocaine and high-potency cannabis valued at over ₦4.6 billion.
The Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State, delivered the sentences following separate convictions. Ogbuji was notably apprehended at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on September 18, 2024, while attempting to import 19.40 kilograms of cocaine worth ₦4.65 billion. This arrest occurred only 16 months after his prior conviction for ingesting cocaine. His earlier arrest was on May 10, 2023, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he had swallowed 93 pellets of cocaine. Following a conviction on July 13, 2023, Ogbuji received a two-year sentence or a ₦3 million fine, which he paid for release. His subsequent arrest in 2024 led to a more severe punishment, with a 5-year sentence for one charge and a 10-year sentence for another.
If Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi does not pay the N7 million fine, he faces a total sentence of 15 years in prison. The court also mandated the forfeiture of all cash and other items seized during his arrest.
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, 51, was arrested on December 31, 2021, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu for ingesting 58 wraps of cocaine. He expelled 48 wraps while in transit through Addis Ababa and the remaining 10 while in NDLEA custody after his arrest. Following a three-year prosecution, he was convicted on March 5, 2025, and sentenced to 10 years in prison, running concurrently.
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (55) and Zidon Zurga (50) were arrested on November 25, 2024, on the Numan-Yola Road in Adamawa State while transporting 500.8 kg of skunk in two vehicles, one of which had a fake number plate. They were convicted on February 7, 2025, receiving 35 years each for a total of 70 years combined, with an alternative fine of N25 million each. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the vehicles used for trafficking.
NDLEA Chairman Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.) praised the judiciary and the NDLEA teams for their hard work, stating that the convictions and forfeiture of assets will strengthen efforts to dismantle drug networks in Nigeria.