A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a man, Iyare Johnbull, to five years imprisonment for attempting to smuggle banned tramadol to Rome, Italy.
Johnbull was apprehended on March 9, 2026, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency during the outward screening of passengers boarding Turkish Airlines flight TK 0626 from Lagos to Rome through Istanbul, Turkey, at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
The court heard that the suspect was caught with 1.4 kilogrammes of tramadol, comprising 500 grams of 225mg and 900 grams of 200mg variants of the prohibited drug.
Following his arrest, the defendant was arraigned before Justice Musa Kakaki on a two-count charge bordering on the illegal exportation of banned substances.
Prosecuting counsel, Commander of Narcotics Abu Ibrahim, informed the court that the offences violated Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Johnbull pleaded guilty to the charges. During proceedings, the prosecutor presented through a witness, Moses Dogo Hyelda, the seized drugs, the defendant’s confessional statement, travelling documents and other exhibits, all of which were admitted in evidence by the court.
The prosecution subsequently urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with sections 274(2) and 356(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, relying on his confessional statement and exhibits tendered before the court.
Defence counsel, Benson Ndakara, however appealed for leniency, arguing that the defendant was a first-time offender who did not waste the court’s time by contesting the charges.
He further urged the court to avoid imposing the maximum sentence and instead consider a non-custodial punishment.
After confirming from the prosecution that the convict had no previous criminal record, Justice Kakaki sentenced him to five years imprisonment. The judge, however, granted him an option of fine, ordering him to pay N5 million in lieu of the jail term.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, also convicted three persons over possession of counterfeit foreign currencies.
The convicts were identified as Salisu Nura, a cattle transporter; Umar Mikailu, a teacher; and Haruna Abubakar, a Bureau De Change operator. They were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after investigations into the offences.
According to the prosecution, Nura and Mikailu were arrested on January 27 during a stop-and-search operation carried out by operatives of the Kwara State command of the NDLEA before they were transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
Nura was said to have been found with 435 counterfeit $100 notes and 378 counterfeit £50 notes, contrary to Section 5(1)(b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, Cap C35, Vol. 4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
While Abubakar faced a one-count charge, all the defendants pleaded guilty except Nura, who denied the 11-count charge brought against him.
The court subsequently adjourned Nura’s case until May 19 for the commencement of trial and ordered that he be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the conclusion of proceedings.
In his ruling, Justice Abimbola Awogboro sentenced Nura and Mikailu to two years imprisonment without an option of fine and directed that the counterfeit currencies be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Abubakar was also sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with an option of N1 million fine.
