NDLEA Secures Convictions: Couple, Foreign Nationals Jailed As Court Orders Forfeiture Of ₦1bn Lagos Hotel, Luxury Vehicles

Ikeja,  Lagos State – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured multiple convictions across Nigeria, including a 22-year prison sentence for a couple in Lagos, as well as final forfeiture of a multi-billion naira hotel and other luxury assets used for illicit drug operations.

In a statement released on Tuesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said that a businessman Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife Rosemary Uchenna were on Monday 4th August 2025 sentenced to a total of 22 and a half years imprisonment by Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court 8 in Lagos for dealing in illicit drugs.

Babafemi stated that the couple was first arrested on Friday 13th June by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Ojo area of the state and transferred to NDLEA along with 277.5kg skunk, a strain of cannabis.

According to the statement,  “While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in their house. This led to a raid of their home and a packing store where 231kg of same substance was recovered by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 1st July.

“They were subsequently arraigned in charge number FHC/L/632C/2025 at the Federal High Court Lagos on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, dealing and storage of 414.2 kilograms of cannabis sativa.

“Delivering his judgement on the case on Monday 4th August, Justice Dipeolu convicted Mrs. Rosemary Uchenna on counts 1, 2, and 3 and sentenced her to 17 years in prison without an option of fine, while her husband Johnson Ajah Uchenna was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment without option of fine on count 1 and six months in jail on count 4 with an option of N1 million fine.

“In addition to the jail terms, the trial judge also ordered the sum of Three Million, Four Hundred and Seven Thousand Naira (₦3, 407,000.00) only recovered from the couple as proceeds of crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.

“Similarly, a Federal High Court in Kano presided by Justice Simon Amobeda has convicted and sentenced a 42-year-old Indian lady, Neetu Neetu to five years imprisonment for importing 72 parcels of heroin factory sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates, weighing 11 kilograms into Nigeria through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano.”

However, a drug consignment was recovered from Neetus luggage after a thorough search, following processed credible intelligence, during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of the Kano airport on Friday 14th March 2025. She was subsequently arraigned in charge number FHC/KN/CR/65/2025 before Justice Amobeda who eventually sentenced her to 10 years on two counts with an option of N2million fine.

Babafemi, in another development explained that a 42-year-old Angolan businessman Mbala Dajou Abuba was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in Kano following his arrest and arraignment by NDLEA for ingesting 120 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.829 kilograms.

“Abuba who is from the Zaire province in Angola was arrested on Tuesday 25th February 2025 at the screening point of the Kano airport while trying to board Egypt Air flight MS 880 to Istanbul, Turkey via Cairo.

“Equally, a Federal High Court in Enugu has convicted another drug trafficker Eze Christian Ikenna on two counts of unlawful trafficking and possession of 11.20 kilograms of cocaine, brought against him by the NDLEA in charge number FHC/EN/CS/9/2023. He was arrested on January 20, 2023 by NDLEA operatives at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, upon arrival from Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with 11.20 kilograms of cocaine concealed in herbal tea sachets.

“He was subsequently arraigned before Justice M. G. Umar of the Federal High Court, Enugu, who eventually sentenced him to three years imprisonment on each count, totalling six years, while the sentence will run concurrently, effective from May 20, 2023.

“In yet another high impact breakthrough in its ongoing war against illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria, the NDLEA has secured the final forfeiture of a multi-billion Naira 80-room Hotel and Lounge in Victoria Island Lagos linked to an illicit drug trafficking cartel along with other assets.

He noted that the 80-room hotel in Victoria Island Lagos used as cover for distributing illicit substances was raided between Friday 25th and Saturday 26th April 2025 by NDLEA operatives who after hours of combing the rooms recovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis with a total weight of 417.3 kilograms worth One Billion Forty-Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (₦1,042,500,000) only in street value.

Meanwhile, 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 various 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 were 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.