The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured a cumulative 95 years in prison for four convicted drug traffickers—Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (also known as Don), and Zidon Zurga. The convictions were for trafficking cocaine and skunk valued at over ₦4.6 billion.
The Federal High Courts in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa State, issued the sentences following separate trials.
Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi was apprehended by NDLEA operatives on September 18, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. He was intercepted during an inward clearance of passengers arriving from Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Ifeanyi was found importing 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40 kilograms, with a street value estimated at ₦4.65 billion.
This arrest came just 16 months after Ifeanyi’s prior conviction for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine.
The NDLEA continues its crackdown on drug trafficking, emphasizing its commitment to eradicating illicit drug activities across the country.
Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi was first apprehended 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 kilograms of cocaine.
On July 13, 2023, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja (Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023) convicted him, sentencing him to two years imprisonment or a ₦3 million fine. Ogbuji opted to pay the fine and secured his release.
However, undeterred by his previous conviction, Ogbuji was re-arrested on September 18, 2024, at Lagos Airport, this time in possession of a significantly larger cocaine consignment.
He was arraigned on January 16, 2025, before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos (Charge No: FHC/L/845C). On February 28, 2025, he was sentenced as follows:
- Count One: Five years imprisonment or a ₦7 million fine.
- Count Two: Ten years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
If Ogbuji fails to pay the ₦7 million fine, he will serve a cumulative sentence of 15 years in prison. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of all monetary exhibits and items seized from him at the time of his arrest.
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, 51, was apprehended on December 31, 2021, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for ingesting 58 wraps of cocaine. During transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he expelled 48 wraps and excreted 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 in Enugu (Charge No: FHC/EN/CR/18/2022). Following three years of thorough prosecution, Iloduba was convicted on March 5, 2025, and sentenced to:
- Five years imprisonment for each count, amounting to 10 years to be served concurrently from the date of conviction.
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don) and Zidon Zurga
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa, 55, and Zidon Zurga, 50, were arrested on November 25, 2024, along the Numan-Yola Road in Adamawa State.
The duo was caught transporting 500.8 kilograms of skunk hidden 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 in 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.