Four drug kingpins jailed for 95 years over N4.6bn narcotics trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully secured a total of 95 years in prison for four convicted drug kingpins—Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), and Zidon Zurga—for trafficking cocaine and skunk worth over N4.6 billion.
The Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State handed down the sentences following separate convictions.
NDLEA operatives arrested Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on September 18, 2024, during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers arriving from Addis Ababa. He was caught importing 817 wraps of cocaine, weighing 19.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of N4.65 billion.
This was just 16 months after he had previously been arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.
Ogbuji was first arrested on May 10, 2023, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after arriving from Uganda via Addis Ababa. He was found to have ingested 1.986 kg of cocaine.
He was convicted on July 13, 2023, by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja (Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023) and sentenced to two years imprisonment or a N3 million fine, which he paid to secure his release.
Undeterred, Ogbuji was re-arrested at Lagos Airport on September 18, 2024, with a larger cocaine consignment.
He was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos (Charge No: FHC/L/845C) on January 16, 2025 and sentenced on February 28, 2025 to:
Five years imprisonment on Count One, with an option of a N7 million fine
Ten years imprisonment on Count Two, without an option of a fine.
If he fails to pay the N7 million fine, he will serve a total of 15 years in prison.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all monetary exhibits and other items found on him at the time of his arrest.
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, 51, was arrested on December 31, 2021, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for ingesting 58 wraps of cocaine.
He excreted 48 wraps while in transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and expelled the remaining 10 while in NDLEA custody after his arrest on January 1, 2022.
He was arraigned before Justice Folashade Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Enugu (Charge No: FHC/EN/CR/18/2022).
After three years of diligent prosecution, Iloduba was convicted and sentenced on March 5, 2025, to:
Five years imprisonment on each count, totaling 10 years in jail, to run concurrently from the date of his conviction.
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don) and Zidon Zurga’s Case
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (55) and Zidon Zurga (50) were arrested on November 25, 2024, along the Numan-Yola Road, Adamawa State.
They were caught transporting 500.8 kg of skunk concealed in:
A Toyota Hilux (Lagos NT 829 AAA)
A Prado SUV with a fake Presidency number plate (01B-266 FG)
They were arraigned before Justice Bala Usman of the Federal High Court, Yola (Charge No: FHC/YL/150/2024).
On February 7, 2025, they were convicted and sentenced to:
35 years imprisonment each on two counts, totaling 70 years combined
An alternative fine of N25 million each
The court also ordered the interim forfeiture of both vehicles used for drug trafficking.
NDLEA Chairman Commends Judiciary and NDLEA Commands
Reacting to the convictions, NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended the trial courts and the investigative teams at MMIA, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, and Adamawa State Commands for their diligence and professionalism.
“The convictions and the forfeiture of the convicts’ instruments of crime will further strengthen the deterrent effect of our ongoing efforts to completely dismantle drug networks in Nigeria,” Marwa stated.
