At least 974 drug offenders were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms in the first quarter of 2026, including 11 drug kingpins who bagged a combined 254 years imprisonment, as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ramped up the arrest, prosecution and forfeiture of assets of drug traffickers and their collaborators.
Of the 974 convictions secured between January and March, 899 were male and 75 female. A breakdown shows 265 convictions in January, 316 in February, and 393 in March.
Topping the list of the 11 kingpins is Italy-based businessman Adegbite Solomon, 42, also known as Obama. He was arraigned on a 15-count charge before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court Lagos in suit FHC/L/851C/2025. On March 18, Justice Kakaki convicted the repeat offender on all counts and sentenced him to a total of 130 years. The sentences include 15 years each on counts 1 to 6, 10 years on count 7, four years each on counts 8 to 12, and 10 years on count 15, to run concurrently. The court also ordered the revocation of his pharmacy license, forfeiture of two branches of his pharmacy store, and forfeiture of funds in his three bank accounts to the Federal Government.
Another kingpin, Ridwan Animashaun, 32, was arraigned by NDLEA before Justice Nkenoye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, in charge FHC/IB/97C/2025. On February 26, Justice Maha convicted and sentenced him to 25 calendar years for drug trafficking. Animashaun had been convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment for a similar offence on July 15, 2022, by Justice Uche Agomoh after his arrest by NDLEA along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on March 27, 2022.
Two others, Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, were each sentenced to 17 years by Justice Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi of the Federal High Court Abeokuta on January 28, after NDLEA charged them for trafficking 1,779 kilograms of skunk in suit FHC/AB/160C/2025.
Jonathan Nuhu, 54, also known as Doctor, and Idris Yusuf, 40, each got 15 years. Nuhu was convicted by Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano, on March 17 in charge FHC/KN/CR/96/2023. Yusuf was sentenced on March 31 by Justice Fatima Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, in suit FHC/CR/6/21, in addition to another eight years for a similar case in charge FHC/CR/DM/16/24.
Others who got seven years each for drug trafficking offences include Godday Obizuo in FHC/AK/64C/2024, Asabe Abubakar in FHC/BAU/CR/16/2026, and Godwin Peter, Asuquo Christian and Olabode Sunday in FHC/AD/CR/66/2024.
Reacting to the convictions, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Rtd, described the sentencing of the 11 kingpins to 254 years as a watershed moment in the country’s war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
He said the 974 convictions in three months send an unambiguous message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for those who trade in human lives and destroy the lives of the nation’s youth.
“Securing 974 convictions in just three months is a testament to the relentless spirit of our officers and the thinning patience of the Nigerian state toward drug merchants. To the 11 kingpins who thought they were untouchable, their 254-year collective residency in correctional centres is a firm reminder that the long arm of the law has finally caught up with their greed,” Marwa said.
He commended the Judiciary for the accelerated hearing of the cases, noting that swift justice is the most potent deterrent. He told NDLEA officers that their bravery is yielding fruit and that the agency will continue to prioritize their welfare and provide tools needed to stay ahead of criminal syndicates.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, adding that the victories belong to citizens who provide the intelligence that fuels NDLEA operations.
The statement was issued by Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Friday, April 17, 2026.
