NDLEA Arraigns Woman and Two Others for Importing 28kg of Drugs

A woman, Oluwakemi Akala, and two men, Onyekachi Aguguo and Tsolaye Eburajolo, were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday for allegedly dealing in 28 kilogrammes of Cannabis Indica.

The trio is facing two counts related to conspiracy and the importation of the drugs, as charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

When the case was called for arraignment on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, NDLEA’s prosecution counsel, Mr. Kunle Adebajo, informed the court that two counts were pending against the defendants and requested that the charges be read so they could take their plea.

Adebajo stated that the three defendants, along with a fourth individual, Austin A.K.A. Elohor Eguagie, who is currently at large, conspired to commit the alleged offences.

The prosecutor explained that the crime occurred on or about October 22, 2024, at an offloading warehouse located at Classic 1 Terminal, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired to import 28 kilogrammes of Cannabis Indica by concealing it inside a 2010 Lexus RX350 model with VIN JTJHK31U672011774, without lawful authority.

This, according to the prosecutor, violated Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their not-guilty pleas, the prosecutor requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendants in a correctional centre. Oluwakemi Akala’s counsel, Mr. S. Sani, requested a short adjournment to file a bail application for his client.

Counsel for Aguguo and Eburajolo, Mr. Alli Aba and Justice Ojienoh, respectively, informed the court that they had filed and served bail applications, and they moved the applications.

The prosecution did not oppose the bail applications.

Justice Ayokunle Faji, in a brief ruling, granted bail to each defendant in the sum of N8 million, with two sureties in like sum. One surety must be a blood relative of the defendant, providing evidence of residence, means of identification, BVN, phone number, utility bills, and evidence of proper means of livelihood.

Additionally, the second surety must provide a bank statement showing the ability to pay the bail sum and a three-year tax clearance certificate.

The defendants were also required to submit their travel documents, BVN, and National Identity Card numbers, and were prohibited from traveling abroad without court permission during the pendency of the case.

Justice Faji instructed the deputy registrar to verify the documents within three days of submission.

Until the bail conditions are met, the defendants were remanded in the custody of the Nigeria correctional centre.