- Shuaibu Nuhu Isa and Zidon Zurga sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts.
- Total sentence: 70 years combined, with an alternative fine of N25 million each.
- Court orders interim forfeiture of two vehicles used for drug trafficking.
- NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commends trial courts and investigative teams for diligence and professionalism.
- Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi was arrested twice for cocaine trafficking.
- First arrest: May 10, 2023, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, with 1.986 kg of cocaine.
- First conviction: July 13, 2023, sentenced to 2 years imprisonment or N3 million fine.
- Second arrest: September 18, 2024, at Lagos Airport, with a larger cocaine consignment.
- Second conviction: January 16, 2025, sentenced to 5 years imprisonment or N7 million fine.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has achieved a major victory in the fight against drug trafficking, securing a combined 95-year sentence for four convicted drug kingpins. The convicted individuals, Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi, Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (also known as Don), and Zidon Zurga, were found guilty of trafficking cocaine and high-potency cannabis (skunk) worth over ₦4.6 billion .
Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi’s arrest was particularly notable, as he was caught importing 817 wraps of cocaine, weighing 19.40 kilograms, with an estimated street value of N4.65 billion, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on September 18, 2024 . This was his second offense, having been previously arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine just 16 months prior.
The other three convicts also received significant sentences. Iloduba Augustine Chinonye was sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine trafficking, while Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (also known as Don) and Zidon Zurga each received 35-year sentences for trafficking 500.8 kg of skunk .
The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the hard work of the officers involved in the arrests and prosecutions, emphasizing that the convictions and forfeitures of crime-related assets would serve as a strong deterrent to drug trafficking in Nigeria .
A Nigerian man, Ogbuji, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment or a N7 million fine for cocaine trafficking, after being re-arrested with a larger consignment of the drug. This is his second conviction, having previously been sentenced to two years imprisonment or a N3 million fine in July 2023.
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, a 51-year-old convicted drug kingpin, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison without an option of a fine for Count Two. This is in addition to his sentence for Count One, which carries an option of a N7 million fine. If he fails to pay the fine, his total prison sentence will be 15 years .
Chinonye’s troubles began on December 31, 2021, when he was arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu for ingesting 58 wraps of cocaine. During his transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he managed to excrete 48 wraps, and the remaining 10 were expelled while he was in NDLEA custody after his arrest on January 1, 2022 .
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all monetary exhibits and other items found on him at the time of his arrest. Chinonye’s conviction is part of a larger effort to dismantle drug networks in Nigeria, with the NDLEA securing a total of 95 years in prison sentences for four convicted drug kingpins .
Iloduba Augustine Chinonye, a 51-year-old convicted drug kingpin, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine trafficking. He was arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu on December 31, 2021, after ingesting 58 wraps of cocaine .
In another case, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don) and Zidon Zurga were arrested on November 25, 2024, in Adamawa State for transporting 500.8 kg of skunk. They were caught with the illicit substance concealed in a Toyota Hilux and a Prado SUV with a fake Presidency number plate. Both men were sentenced to 35 years in prison each, with the option to pay a fine of N25 million each .
Shuaibu Nuhu Isa and Zidon Zurga, two convicted drug traffickers, have been sentenced to 35 years in prison each on two counts, totaling 70 years combined. Alternatively, they can pay a fine of N25 million each. The court also ordered the interim forfeiture of the two vehicles used for drug trafficking .
The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended the trial courts and the investigative teams for their diligence and professionalism. This conviction is a significant win in the fight against drug trafficking in Nigeria.
Marwa, a retired brigadier general, has been leading the NDLEA since January 2021. He has been instrumental in tackling the drug menace in Nigeria, bringing about a new chapter in the fight against illicit substances .
