Man Gets 15 Years for Drug Possession in Lagos

 

A 32-year-old man, Madu Pius Gadzama, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos for possessing various illicit drugs, including four kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa and 68 grammes of methamphetamine.

Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the sentence after Gadzama pleaded guilty to a five-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The case, marked FHC/LAG/CR/682/2026, arose from Gadzama’s arrest at Ajiran Street, Lekki, Lagos State, on July 15, 2026.

The prosecutor, J. Negedu, told the court that the convict was arrested in possession of several narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The substances recovered from him included four kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as marijuana; 68 grammes of methamphetamine; 17 grammes of Tramadol 225mg; six grammes of Swinol; and 12 grammes of Tramadol 100mg.

The prosecution said Gadzama’s possession of the prohibited substances contravened Section 11(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Following his guilty plea, his lawyer urged the court to temper justice with mercy, describing him as a first-time offender with no previous criminal conviction.

The defence counsel also argued that Gadzama was a victim of circumstances and was not the actual owner of the drugs. According to the lawyer, her client had merely gone to sleep at the location where the substances were kept.

She therefore urged the court not to impose the maximum sentence, but to consider a non-custodial option.

Justice Aluko, however, sentenced Gadzama to 15 years’ imprisonment on each of the five counts.

The judge ordered that the sentences should run concurrently, meaning Gadzama will serve a total effective term of 15 years rather than 75 years.

The court also imposed fines of N500,000 on the first count and N100,000 each on counts two to five, bringing the total fine to N1 million as the option of fine.

The conviction comes amid sustained efforts by the NDLEA to disrupt the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs across Lagos and other parts of the country, particularly in major urban centres where drug networks continue to target young people and vulnerable communities.