Italy-bound Man Jailed 5 Years For Smuggling Tramadol
Justice Musa Kakaki of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a man, Iyare Johnbull, to five years imprisonment, for smuggle prohibited analgesic, tramadol to Rome, Italy.
Johnbull was arrested with the drug weighing 1.4 Kilogrames on March 9, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK 0626 from Lagos to Rome via Istanbul, Turkey, at the screening point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos, by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Specifically, he was arrested with 500 grams of
225mg and 900 grams of 200mg of the prohibited drugs.
Following his arrested, he was arraigned before the court on Tuesday, on two counts charge of illegal export of the banned drugs.
The illegal acts, the prosecutor, Barrister Abu Ibrahim, a Commander of Narcotics (CN) told the court were contrary to 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 two counts charge.
Upon the guilty plea of the convict, Barrister Abu through a witness, Moses Dogo Hyelda, tendered the seized drug, confessional statement, his traveling documents and others, which were admitted by the court.
He therefore urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant in accordance to sections 274(2) and 356(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, his confessional statement and exhibit tendered.
But Chief Benson Ndakara, lawyer to the convict, pleaded with the court to be lenient and merciful with his client, saying that he was a first time offender and for not wasting the time of the court.
He prayed the court not to award maximum punishment but to give his client a non-custodian sentence.
Justice Kakaki after confirming from the prosecutor that the convict did not have record of previous conviction, sentenced him to five years imprisonment.
In acceeding to the lawyer’s non-custodian request, the judge ordered the convict to pay a total of N5 million in lieu of the jail-term.
Charges against the convicted traveler read: “That you lyare Johnbull Male, Adult on or about the 9” March 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK 0626 from Lagos to Rome via Istanbul, Turkey at the screening 2 point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority exported 500grams 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 lyare Johnbull Male, Adult on or about the 9′” March 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK 0626 from Lagos to Rome via Istanbul, Turkey at the screening 2 point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority exported 900grams of Tramadol 200mg, 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.”
