A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced a repeat drug offender, Solomon Adegbite, to 15 years in prison without the option of a fine for trafficking 1.30 kilogrammes of Tramadol (225mg), a banned narcotic.
Adegbite was arrested on July 22, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, while undergoing outward clearance for a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy via Casablanca, Morocco. According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), he concealed the drugs inside a thick winter jacket in an attempt to evade security checks.
The 41-year-old, who resides in Italy, pleaded guilty to a 15-count charge brought against him by the NDLEA. He had previously been arrested twice for drug-related offences, including in 2024.
Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the judgment on Wednesday after the defendant’s guilty plea and a review of evidence presented by NDLEA operative Okey Emmanuel. The prosecution, led by Juliana Imaobong Iroabuchi, urged the court to convict him based on the facts before it.
Although the defence counsel, Augustine Nwagu, appealed for leniency—arguing that Adegbite was remorseful and had dependants—the prosecution opposed the request, describing him as a repeat offender and warning that a lighter sentence would send the wrong message given the harm caused by illicit drugs.
In his ruling, Justice Kakaki sentenced Adegbite to various prison terms across 13 of the 15 counts, including 15 years each on several major counts, alongside shorter terms ranging from 4 to 10 years on others.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of several assets to the Federal Government, including his Italian residence permit, Nigerian passport, a Samsung Galaxy A22 phone, and bank accounts linked to Aderevico Pharmacy.
The NDLEA further alleged that Adegbite attempted to tamper with his travel documents during his arrest by swapping his valid Italian residence permit with an expired one.
The offences fall under Sections 11(d) and 20(a)(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
