Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday convicted and
sentenced two men, Ugwuja Ejiofor and Okon Christopher, to a combined four
years and four months’ imprisonment for trafficking 58.6 kilograms of cannabis
sativa, popularly known as Indian hemp.
Justice Musa Kakaki handed down the sentences after the
defendants pleaded guilty to separate charges filed by the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency.
Ugwuja was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on
conspiracy and unlawful importation of 56 kilograms of cannabis sativa, while
Okon faced a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in 2.6 kilograms of the
prohibited substance.
The NDLEA prosecutor, Peter Ekuri, told the court that
Ugwuja, 35, and an accomplice identified as Sammy, who remains at large,
conspired to import 56 kilograms of cannabis sativa from Accra, Ghana, into
Nigeria on February 19, 2026.
According to the prosecutor, the offence was committed
without lawful authority and was uncovered in Lagos.
Ekuri further told the court that Okon, 37, was arrested on
May 30, 2026, at the Ladipo Canal area of Mushin, Lagos, for unlawfully dealing
in 2.6 kilograms of cannabis sativa.
He said the offences contravened Sections 14(a), 11(a), and
11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Following the defendants’ guilty pleas, the prosecutor
reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered exhibits and urged the court to
convict and sentence them accordingly.
Counsel for the convicts, G.U. Okaka and Chief Lilian
Omotunde, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, describing their
clients as first-time offenders with no previous criminal records.
In his judgement, Justice Kakaki convicted both men based on
their guilty pleas.
The judge sentenced Ugwuja to two years’ imprisonment on
each of the two counts, with an option of a total fine of N10m.
Okon was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N300,000 fine.
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