Court Sentences Two Lagos Traders For Cannabis Trafficking

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered a 12-month imprisonment for two traders from the well-known Alaba-Rago market, Abubakar Sadiq and Isah Ibrahim, for their involvement in a conspiracy and the unlawful trade of 11 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, commonly referred to as Indian hemp or marijuana.

The guilty verdict was reached after the traders admitted to the charges filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Justice Deinde Dipeolu, the presiding judge, delivered the sentence following the defendants’ admission of guilt to the offenses.

The prosecution, headed by Abdullahi Buhari, stated that the two individuals were arrested on July 3 at the Alaba-Rago market, situated along the Lagos-Badagry expressway, while distributing the prohibited substance to buyers.

According to the prosecutor, Abubakar Sadiq, aged 25, was charged with two counts involving conspiracy and illegally handling the prohibited substance.

He noted that Isah Ibrahim, aged 27, faced a single charge of conspiracy.

Buhari informed the court that Sadiq’s actions breached sections 14(b) and 11(c) of the NDLEA Act Cap. N30, Law of the Federation 2004, while Ibrahim’s conduct violated section 11(c) of the same legislation.

Upon the reading of the charges, both traders entered guilty pleas, leading the prosecutor to present the case details and submit the exhibits, urging the court to issue a conviction and appropriate sentence.

In his plea for leniency, the defense counsel, Evans Njoku, appealed to the court for mercy, highlighting that his clients were first-time offenders with no previous criminal history.

He further noted that their guilty pleas conserved the court’s valuable time and requested a non-custodial sentence or a fine instead of imprisonment.

After reviewing the defense’s arguments and verifying with the prosecution that the traders were indeed first-time offenders, Justice Dipeolu sentenced both individuals to six months’ imprisonment for each count.

However, the judge offered an alternative fine option, requiring Sadiq to pay a total of N1.1 million and Ibrahim to pay N500,000 to avoid serving their prison terms.

The revised charge against the convicts stated: “That you, Abubakar Sadiq, male, 25 years old, and Isah Ibrahim, male, 27 years old, on or about 3rd of July 2025, at Alaba-Rago, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired to traffic in 11 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Law of the Federation 2004.”

A separate charge against Sadiq read: “That you, Abubakar Sadiq, male, 25 years old, on or about 3rd of July 2025, at Alaba-Rago, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without lawful authority dealt in 11 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Law of the Federation 2004.”

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli