Court jails four drug kingpins
Court jails four drug kingpins
Published By: Paul Dada
A Federal High Court in Lagos has jailed four drug kingpins whose 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine at an Ikorodu residential estate, was seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in 2022.
The convicts were Soji Jubril Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44, a Jamaican.
The drug kingpins who were nabbed by NDLEA operatives in various locations across Lagos were charged with six counts under charge number FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December 2022.
A statement on Thursday, the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said that they were jailed by Justice Yellim Bogoro.
The statement said, “The trial judge handed the Jamaican, Kelvin Christopher Smith, four years imprisonment with hard labour; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu received a total of 16 years; Soji Jubril Oke was sentenced to five years with hard labour, and Wasiu Akinade got three years with hard labour.
“The trial judge, however, gave the convicts varying options of fines, except for one who must serve the full jail term without an option of fine. They were also ordered to forfeit a grey Toyota Tacoma SUV (registration number AAA-734HT) registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu, $50,000 belonging to Chukwu, ₦55,099,509.50 also belonging to Chukwu, ₦9,003,168.06 belonging to Wasiu Akinade, and ₦3,052,295.20 also belonging to Akinade.”
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The statement also said Justice Bogoro ordered the t forfeiture of two properties linked to the gang.
It said, “An order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Landed Property/House Number 6 Olokunola Street, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55kg of cocaine, an illicit substance.
“An order of final forfeiture and confiscation is also granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1, Victoria Garden City Estate, Lagos State, reasonably believed to have been purchased with proceeds from drug trafficking.
“An order is granted directing the sale or disposal of the forfeited properties by any lawful means, with the proceeds paid to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
