Jamaican Among Four Drug Lords Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison, Ordered to Surrender Properties and Cash

Justice Yellim Bogoro at the Federal High Court in Lagos has imposed sentences totaling 28 years on four drug traffickers involved in the considerable cocaine bust of 2,139.55 kilograms at a residential area in Ikorodu in 2022.

The accused individuals, namely Soji Jubril Oke (71), Wasiu Akinade (55), Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu (67), and Jamaican national Kelvin Christopher Smith (44), were arraigned on multiple charges in late 2022, including conspiracy and the management of a drug trafficking organization, as well as the importation and possession of the seized cocaine. A fifth individual, Oguntolure Sunday, remains in ongoing legal proceedings.

On September 18, 2022, agents from a special operatives unit of the NDLEA executed a coordinated raid at 6 Olukuola Crescent in the Solebo estate of Ikorodu, leading to the discovery of over 2.1 tons of cocaine—the largest single cocaine seizure in Nigeria’s history. The suspects were captured from various locations in Lagos shortly after the raid.

After a thorough legal process spanning over two years, the court sentenced Kelvin Christopher Smith to four years of hard labor. Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu received 16 years, Soji Jubril Oke was sentenced to 5 years with hard labor, and Wasiu Akinade to three years with hard labor. Most were given options for fines, except for one individual who will serve their term without such an option.

The convicts are also required to forfeit assets, including a grey Toyota Tacoma SUV linked to Emmanuel Chukwu, and large sums of money, totaling over N68 million and $50,000, also linked to the accused.

Furthermore, the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, announced that in a separate case, Justice Bogoro ordered the final forfeiture of two properties associated with the drug ring, confirming that these homes were used for storing the drugs and were likely acquired with money from illegal activities. The Federal Government was granted ownership of the properties.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, praised the investigation and highlighted that this ruling serves as a significant deterrent to drug trafficking operations, underscoring that offenders face not only imprisonment but also the loss of their assets gained through illicit activities.