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Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court 8, Lagos, has sentenced a businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna, and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, to a combined 22 and a half years imprisonment for dealing in 414.2 kilograms of cannabis sativa.
The verdict, delivered on Monday, August 4, 2025, followed their arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) on June 13 in the Ojo area of Lagos. They were later handed over to operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) along with 277.5kg of the banned substance.
The successful operation, according to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, underscores the agency’s sustained crackdown on drug cartels and illegal proceeds.
During a follow-up raid on July 1, NDLEA officials recovered an additional 231kg of skunk from the couple’s home and a storehouse.
In charge number FHC/L/632C/2025, Rosemary was convicted on three counts and sentenced to 17 years imprisonment with no option of fine. Her husband, Johnson, was handed five years on one count and six months on another with an option of N1m fine.
Justice Dipeolu also ordered the forfeiture of ₦3,407,000 recovered from the couple as proceeds of drug trafficking to the Federal Government.
Indian Woman Sentenced For Heroin Concealed As Chocolates
In a separate case, Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano sentenced 42-year-old Indian national, Neetu Neetu, to five years in prison for trafficking 11kg of heroin disguised as chocolates.
Neetu was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on March 14, 2025, after arriving on a Qatar Airways flight from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha. A total of 72 parcels of heroin were recovered from her luggage during a search based on intelligence.
She was arraigned on two counts in charge number FHC/KN/CR/65/2025 and given a 10-year sentence with an option of N2 million fine.
Angolan Businessman Swallows 120 Cocaine Pellets, Bags 5 Years
Also in Kano, a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Mohammed Yunusa sentenced 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Dajou Abuba, to five years in prison for ingesting 120 cocaine pellets weighing 1.829kg.
Abuba was intercepted on February 25, 2025, at the Kano airport while attempting to board an Egypt Air flight to Istanbul via Cairo.
Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu also sentenced Eze Christian Ikenna to six years in prison for smuggling 11.2kg of cocaine concealed in herbal tea sachets.
Ikenna was arrested on January 20, 2023, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, after arriving from Brazil via Addis Ababa. He was charged in FHC/EN/CS/9/2023 and sentenced to three years each on two counts. The sentences will run concurrently from May 20, 2023.
In one of its biggest crackdowns, the NDLEA secured the final forfeiture of a multi-billion-naira 80-room hotel and lounge in Victoria Island, Lagos, linked to a drug trafficking cartel.
The property, used as a distribution hub for illicit drugs, was raided between April 25 and 26, 2025. During the operation, operatives recovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud, a high-grade cannabis variant, weighing 417.3kg and valued at ₦1,042,500,000.
Forfeited along with the landed property situated at No. 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street off Elsie Femi Pearse Road, Victoria Island, Lagos, include: Toyota Sienna Vehicle marked KJA 79 HJ; Volkswagen Delivery Van numbered AAA 525 JE; KIA Ceranto Car with plate number BDG 860 GQ; Black Colour Land Cruiser Prado with plate number AKD 472 DZ; Red Colour Grand Caravan Dodge with plate number APP 847 YF; White Colour Mazda
Bus marked KTU 241 AAA; Mercedes Benz Truck with registration number ASB 500 XY; Gold Colour Toyota Corolla Car with registration number EKY 295 JT; Ash Colour Sienna Mini Bus; 84 Television Sets; 70 Air New Conditioners; and 13 New Fridges.
The final forfeiture orders were issued on Friday 18th July 2025 by Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala following the motion number FHC/L/MISC/447/2025 filed by NDLEA.
Reacting to the conviction and forfeiture court judgements, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen
Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the various commands of the Agency, their officers and men that handled the different cases, as well as the judiciary, for delivering prompt judgements to strengthen the deterrent effect of NDLEA efforts.
“Nothing serves the cause of justice more than when the criminal elements are given long jail terms and made to forfeit all they have acquired through the proceeds of their illicit drug trade, and we’re happy with this kind of judicial pronouncements, which will not only encourage our men to do more but will have long lasting impact on our drug control efforts,” Marwa stated.
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