NDLEA secures 974 convictions in three months, 11 kingpins jailed for 254 years

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the conviction of 974 drug offenders nationwide in the first quarter of 2026, including 11 major traffickers sentenced to a combined 254 years in prison.

According to a statement released to the press by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the convictions were recorded between January and March as part of intensified efforts to arrest, prosecute and dismantle drug trafficking networks across the country.

A breakdown of the figures shows that 899 of those convicted are men and 75 women, with 265 convictions in January, 316 in February and 393 in March.

Among the high-profile cases is Adegbite Solomon, also known as “Obama”, a 42-year-oldItaly-based businessman, who was convicted on a 15-count charge by the Federal High Court in Lagos and sentenced to 130 years in prison. The court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently and ordered the revocation of his pharmacy licence, as well as the forfeiture of his assets and bank funds to the Federal Government.

In a separate case, Ridwan Animashaun, 32, was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Ibadan for drug trafficking. He had previously been convicted for a similar offence in 2022.

Two other traffickers, Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, were each sentenced to 17 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abeokuta after being found guilty of trafficking 1,779 kilograms of cannabis.

Similarly, Jonathan Nuhu, 54, and Idris Yusuf, 40, were handed 15-year jail terms in Kano and Yobe states respectively, with Yusuf receiving an additional eight-year sentence in a separate case.

Other convictions include multiple offenders sentenced to seven years imprisonment across different parts of the country.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), described the outcome as a “watershed” in Nigeria’s fight against illicit drugs, noting that the convictions send a strong message that the country is no longer a safe haven for drug traffickers.

He commended the judiciary for expediting trials and praised NDLEA personnel for their efforts, urging members of the public to continue providing intelligence to support ongoing operations.