Four major drug kingpins involved in the historic seizure of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine at an Ikorodu residential estate in Lagos have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 28 years in prison by the Federal High Court, Lagos. The convicts, who were arrested following a coordinated operation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), also face the forfeiture of their assets, including cash, properties, and luxury vehicles.
The men sentenced include Soji Jubril Oke (71), Wasiu Akinade (55), Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu (67), and Jamaican national Kelvin Christopher Smith (44). They were charged with six counts, including conspiracy, managing a drug trafficking organization (DTO), and the possession and importation of the cocaine.
The unprecedented bust occurred on September 18, 2022, when NDLEA operatives raided a property located at 6 Olukuola Crescent, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, where they seized over 2.1 tons of cocaine—the largest single cocaine haul in Nigeria’s history. The arrests followed intelligence-led operations, with the suspects apprehended at various hotels and hideouts in Lagos over the course of two days.
After more than two years of diligent prosecution, the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro, sentenced the convicts to varying jail terms with hard labour. Kelvin Christopher Smith, the Jamaican national, was sentenced to four years, while Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu received 16 years. Soji Jubril Oke was sentenced to five years, and Wasiu Akinade received three years. The court also imposed fines, with one convict facing the full term without the option of a fine.
In addition to their prison sentences, the convicts were ordered to forfeit several assets. These include a grey Toyota Tacoma SUV (registered to Emmanuel Chukwu), $50,000 USD, N55 million (Nigerian naira), and various amounts of money linked to the other convicts. The NDLEA also secured the final forfeiture of two properties connected to the drug cartel: one in Ikorodu, Lagos, used for storing the seized cocaine, and another in the upscale Victoria Garden City (VGC) estate, believed to have been purchased with proceeds from the illicit drug trade.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, praised the extensive investigation and successful prosecution of the case. He described the conviction as a historic blow to drug cartels, warning that those involved in the trade would not only face prison but also lose all assets acquired through their criminal activities.
The NDLEA’s victory in this case marks a significant step in the agency’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and strengthen Nigeria’s fight against the illicit drug trade.
