Judge Imposes Seven-Year Sentence on Lagos Trader for Drug Trafficking

A 43-year-old Ikorodu-based trader, Abubakar Sulaiman, has been sentenced to seven years in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos for trafficking multiple banned substances.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Alagoa delivered the verdict on Tuesday, offering Sulaiman an alternative fine of ₦5 million in lieu of serving a custodial sentence. The ruling followed the defendant’s guilty plea to seven counts of illegal possession and distribution of narcotic and psychotropic substances brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Sulaiman was arrested on May 27, 2025, in Ikorodu with large quantities of Cannabis Sativa, Tramadol, Diazepam, Codeine syrup, Rohypnol, Methamphetamine, and Molly (MDMA).

During the court session, NDLEA prosecutors B.S. Abdullahi and J.O. Negudu tendered evidence including Sulaiman’s confessional statement and the seized substances, highlighting the severity of the offense.

Though the defence, led by Mr. Augustin Nwagwu, pleaded for leniency on the grounds that Sulaiman was a first-time offender who showed remorse, the court stressed the seriousness of drug offenses in society.

Justice Lewis-Alagoa, while handing down the sentence, stated:

“This conviction should serve as a deterrent to others. The abuse and sale of illicit drugs pose a grave threat to our society.”