The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has secured no fewer than 974 convictions for drug-related offences across the country within the first quarter of 2026, as part of intensified efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and prosecute offenders.
The agency disclosed that the convictions, recorded between January and March, involved 899 male and 75 female offenders. A breakdown showed that 265 convictions were secured in January, 316 in February, and 393 in March.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency revealed that 11 high-profile drug kingpins were among those convicted, receiving a combined jail term of 254 years.
Babafemi highlighted the case of a 42-year-old Italy-based businessman, Adegbite Solomon, also known as Obama, who was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on a 15-count charge.
He was subsequently sentenced to a cumulative 130 years imprisonment by Justice Musa Kakaki, with individual counts attracting between four and 15 years.
Another major conviction involved Ridwan Animashaun, 32, who was prosecuted before the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Similarly, two traffickers, Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, were each sentenced to 17 years imprisonment by Justice Abiodun Adeyemi of the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, after being found guilty of trafficking 1,779 kilograms of cannabis, popularly known as skunk.
In Kano and Yobe states, Jonathan Nuhu, alias “Doctor,” 54, and Idris Yusuf, 40, were each handed 15-year jail terms by separate Federal High Court judges following their convictions on drug trafficking charges.
Other offenders, including Godday Obizuo, Asabe Abubakar, Godwin Peter, Asuquo Christian, and Olabode Sunday, were sentenced to seven years imprisonment each in different parts of the country.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the convictions as a clear demonstration of the agency’s renewed crackdown on illicit drug activities.
He said, “Securing 974 convictions in just three months is a testament to the relentless commitment of our officers and the growing resolve of the Nigerian state to confront drug trafficking head-on.
“For the 11 kingpins who believed they were above the law, their combined 254-year jail terms send a strong message that impunity will no longer be tolerated.”
Marwa reaffirmed the agency’s determination to sustain the momentum through aggressive enforcement, prosecution, and asset forfeiture measures aimed at crippling drug cartels and their operations nationwide.
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