A Federal High Court, Lagos, today, ordered the final forfeiture of a building in Lekki, for being a proceed of illicit drug dealing.
The building is located at Block 11, House No. 2 Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Justice Alexander Owoeye, who presided over the court made ordered final forfeiture of the building, after listening to the submission made by Barrister Buhari Abdullahi, the head of legal department of the Lagos Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In urging the court to finally forfeit the building, Barrister Buhari told the court that the application was pursuant to sections 44(2), 6 (6)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Sections 3(1)(a)(b) & (c), 31(a), 32 (c), 41 (b)(W) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Act Cap. N30 N 2004 (as amended), Sections 4(b)(c), 5(2), 7, 8(1)(a) 17 (1)&(4), 19 (1)(a)(c)(3) AND 21 (1) of the proceeds of Crimes (Recovery and Management) Act 2022, and under the court’s Inherent jurisdiction.
Specifically, the NDLEA lawyer asked the court for an order for final forfeiture the building alongside all its furniture, fittings and electrical appliances, used as a storage facility of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis Sativa and instrumentality for committing drug offence, the Federal Government of Nigeria, currently in the custody of the NDLEA.
The lawyer told the court that the motion is supported with a-28
paragraph affidavit deposed to by Nasir Garba Bungudu, a Deputy Commander of Narcotics (DCN).
In the affidavit, the deponent made the following aveerments: “that sometime in the year 2023, we received confidential credible information on the activities of a Drug Trafficking Organization that specializes in importation of Canadian Loud a Strain of expensive Cannabis Sativa from Canada to Nigeria and used a property situate at Block 11, House No. 2, Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos for the storage, distribution and dealing in Canadian Loud a Strain of Cannabis Sativa as well as financing drug trafficking activities within and outside Nigeria.
“That we carried out series of surveillance on the Drug Trafficking Organization and discovered among others some of its members, operating base and drug storage facility. And that we were able to identify the Organization’s base located at Block 11, House No. 2, Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos used as an instrumentality for committing all sort of drug of fences.
“That the said landed property was being used as a base for the Drug Trafficking Organization’s members as well as instrumentality in the commission of drug offence. And that we were able to identify the Drug Trafficking Organization was headed by one notorious drug baron known as Femi Adebanjo, who stays in Canada and coordinate the exportation of the illicit drug from Canada and importation to Nigeria.
“That we were able to discover that Femi Adebanjo was the one who purchased the Organizational operation base located at Block 11, House No. 2, Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos and accommodated his associates among others were Ekwejunor Oritsematosan who is presently standing in Charge No. FHC/L/501c/2023, FRN V. Ekwejunor Oritsematosan & Anor. for drug of fences alongside Femaffix Global Services Limited which was a Company incorporated for the use by the Organization to lauder proceeds of drug business.
“That following series of surveillance, on the 5th February, 2023, the Applicant’s agents conducted raid operation in the said property and in the process recovered 1.088 kilogram of Canadian Loud in the house subject of this application and also arrested five members of the Cartel who include Tijani Oladapo Hakeem, Eric Makuo, Adaobi Fortune, Ahmed Jubril and Ekwejunor Oritsematosan.
“That the four cartel members Tijani Oladapo Hakeem, Eric Makuo, Adaobi Fortune and Ahmed Jubril confessed to the commission of the drug offences inside the house subject of this application hence pleaded guilty to the Charge No. FHC/L/122c/2023, FRN V. Tijani Oladapo Hakeem & 3 Ors. ond were convicted and sentenced accordingly.
“That the fifth person, Ekwejunor Oritsematosan, is presently standing trial in Charge No.FHC/L/501c/2023, FRN V. Ekwejunor Oritsematosan & Anor. for drug of fence alongside Femaffix Global Services Limited which was a Company used by the Organization to lauder proceeds of drug business and cover up illegalities…..
“That credible intelligence confirmed to the Applicant that the drug kingpin, Femi Adebanjo was responsible for importation of the illicit substance into Nigeria from Canada while other members of the organization coordinate and perfect clearance using dubious means to avoid detection by security agencies.
“That the investigation into the landed property sought to be forfeited established its ownership to be of the drug kingpin Femi Adebanjo, who is now at large and it is being used as a base for illicit drug activities and instrumentality for commission of drug offences.
“That since the sealing of the landed property the owner refused to show up for investigation and there is no any person (s) ever come forward to either claim or offer to lead the Agency’s investigators for the tracing of owner (s) of the said property.
“That the property has been under sealed and in the custody of the NDLEA Lagos Strategic Command of the Agency since 5th February, 2023. And that the said property was used as an instrumentality for the commission of the offences and are subject to forfeiture NDLEA Act…..
“That following the initial order made by this Honourable Court on 20” March, 2024, in respect of the property subject of forfeiture and in compliance with the Court Order, the Applicant published the details of the said property on Daily Sun National Newspaper of Monday, May 20th, 2024 at page 8, however, no body come forward to claim.
“That also subsequent to the renewal order issued by this Honourable Court on 1st day of July, 2025 in respect of landed property and in compliance to the Court directive, the Applicant republished the details of the landed property in question on Vanguard National Newspaper of Friday, August 1, 2025, Volume 41: No. 10, 640 at page 7, in order to recall the attention of the owner or any interested party but no body show up to claim same or of fer any explanation on the property subject to forfeiture……
“That where nobody comes forward within the period to be specified, the Applicant will apply that a final forfeiture order be made in respect of same properties contained on the Motion Paper. And that no one will be prejudiced if this application is granted.”
Justice Owoeye, being satisfied with the lawyer’s submission and all the documentary exhibits tendered, ordered that the building alongside all its furniture, fittings and electrical appliances, used as a storage facility of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis Sativa and instrumentality for committing drug offence, be finally forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.
