A drug trafficker, Agbonhese Christian, has been convicted and sentenced to six years imprisonment for exporting 14 kilograms of tramadol, a prohibited analgesic, by a Federal High Court, Lagos.
Christian was convicted and sentenced by the court presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki, following his plea of guilty to the three counts charge made against him by the anti-narcotic agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), today.
The convict, according to the prosecutor, Barrister Abu Ibrahim, was arrested with the drug on March 18, 2026, at the departure Hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to smuggle it to Italy.
Barrister Abu, who also a Commander of Narcotics (CN) informed the court that the convict was arrested with the drug during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Lufthansa airlines flight to Italy.
He further told the court that during the convict’s arrest, he was caught with the convict was arrested 12.60 Kilogrames of Tramadol 225mg; 1.90 Kilograms of Tapentadol 250mg and 500 grams of Tramadol 100mg.
He informed the court that the illegal acts of the convict are contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The convicted traveler admitted committing the offence and pleaded guilty to the charge.
Based on his guilty plea, the prosecutor through a witness, tendered all exhibits which includes the bulk of the drug, the convict’s international passport and confessional statements. Which were admitted by the court.
He thereafter prayed the court to convict the drug trafficker, based on his guilty plea, exhibit tendered and in accordance to sections 274(2) and 365(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
However, lawyer to the convict, Barrister Uche Okoronkwo leading W. J. Robert, in his allocutor, prayed the court to be merciful with his client. He urged the court to consider that his client was a first time offender,and that he did not waste the precious time of the court.
Barrister Uche after citing series of legal authorites, prayed the court to give his client a non-custodian sentence.
In his judgment, Justice Kakaki after legally weighed the submissions of both counsel, sentenced the convict to two years in each of the counts.
The judge in considering the non-custodian prayer of the convict’s lawyer, the judge ordered the convict to pay the sum of N6 million, N5 million and N2 million totaling N13 million, as fine option on each of the counts.
The judge however ordered that the shall run concurrently by the time option to be paid cumulatively. While also ordered that the international passport of the convict be returned to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for cancellation.
Charges against the convict read: “that you Agbonhese Christian Male, Adult on or about the 18th March, 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Lufthansa Airlines flight from Lagos to Italy at the Departure Hall of the Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority exported 12.60 Kilogrames of Tramadol 225mg, a Narcotic Analgesic, similar to Cocaine, Heroin, LSD and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Agbonhese Christian Male, Adult on or about the 18th March, 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers. aboard Lufthansa Airlines flight from Lagos to Italy at the Departure Hall of the Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority exported 1.90 Kilograms of Tapentadol 250mg, a brand of Tramadol, a Narcotic Analgesic, similar to Cocaine, Heroin, LSD and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Agbonhese Christian Male, Adult on or about the 18 March, 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Lufthansa Airlines flight from Lagos to Italy at the Departure Hall of the Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority exported 500 grams of Tramadol 100mg, a Narcotic Analgesic, similar to Cocaine, Heroin, LSD and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
