Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced two traders from the popular Ladipo Spare Parts Market to five years imprisonment each for trafficking 55.60 kilograms of cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana. The convicts, Ezeifeoma Michael and Philip Ucheka, were sentenced on Monday, April 27, 2026, after pleading guilty to an amended charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in suit number FHC/L/216C/2026.
Arrest and Seizure
Prosecuting counsel Peter Ekuri informed the court that the duo was arrested on November 27, 2025, at Ladipo Market with the illicit substance concealed in two vehicles. Ekuri stated, “The duo were arrested with 55.60 kilograms of cannabis sativa hidden in two vehicles.” The vehicles were identified as a grey Toyota Sienna with chassis number 5TDZK23C475079926 and an ash-coloured Hyundai Veloster with registration number MUS 318 FC and chassis number KMHTC6D5CU081675. According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and is punishable under the same provision.
Plea and Sentencing
When the charge was read, both convicts admitted to the offence and pleaded guilty. Following their plea, the prosecution urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly and to order the forfeiture of the vehicles used in the trafficking. Defence counsel Bolanle Kolawole, in her allocutus, pleaded for leniency, describing the convicts as first-time offenders with no prior criminal records. She urged the court to consider non-custodial sentencing, noting that the defendants had shown remorse and promised not to engage in criminal activities again.
However, Justice Aluko held that despite their plea for mercy, the seriousness of the offence warranted a custodial sentence. After confirming from the prosecution that the convicts were first-time offenders and reviewing relevant legal authorities, the judge sentenced each of them to five years’ imprisonment. The court, however, gave an option of a fine, ordering each convict to pay N2 million in lieu of the jail term. Justice Aluko also ordered the final forfeiture of the two vehicles used in committing the offence to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
