In a landmark ruling, four prominent drug kingpins have been sentenced to 28 years in prison following their involvement in the unprecedented seizure of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine at a residential estate in Ikorodu, Lagos, in 2022. The Federal High Court in Lagos delivered the sentences on Thursday.
The individuals convicted are Soji Jubril Oke, aged 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu, 67; and Jamaican national Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44. They were apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) across various locations in Lagos between the night of Sunday, September 18, and the morning of Monday, September 19, 2022.
The arrests followed a significant raid at No 6 Olukuola Crescent, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, where the substantial quantity of cocaine was discovered. This incident marks the largest single cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria.
The accused were charged with six counts under charge number FHC/L/607C/2022 in both October and December 2022. Notably, the trial of a fifth suspect, Oguntolure Sunday, who was arraigned alongside the main defendants, is still ongoing.
In a statement on Thursday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that Justice Yellim Bogoro had sentenced the convicts to a total of 28 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
The statement detailed that the trial judge sentenced the Jamaican, Kelvin Christopher Smith, to four years; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu received 16 years; Soji Jubril Oke was sentenced to five years, while Wasiu Akinade was given three years, all with hard labour.
The judge also provided the convicts with varying options for fines, except for one who must serve the full jail term without the possibility of a fine. Additionally, they were ordered to forfeit a grey Toyota Tacoma SUV (registration number AAA-734HT), registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu, along with $50,000 and ₦55,099,509.50 both belonging to Chukwu, and ₦9,003,168.06 and ₦3,052,295.20 attributed to Wasiu Akinade.
In a separate development, the NDLEA obtained the final forfeiture of two properties linked to the drug cartel, in a suit marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024, filed before Justice Bogoro on December 9, 2024.
Babafemi reported that the court stated, “An order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Landed Property/House Number 6 Olokunola Street, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55kg of cocaine, an illicit substance.
“An order of final forfeiture and confiscation is also granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1, Victoria Garden City Estate, Lagos State, reasonably believed to have been purchased with proceeds from drug trafficking.
“An order is issued directing the sale or disposal of the forfeited properties by any lawful means, with the proceeds to be remitted to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
