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A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced two traders, Ezeifeoma Michael and Philip Ucheka, to five years imprisonment each for trafficking 55.6 kilograms of cannabis sativa. The convicts, both linked to the popular Ladipo Spare Parts Market, were found guilty after pleading to charges brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). 
According to prosecutors, the pair were arrested in November 2025 with the drugs hidden inside two vehicles, including a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Veloster. The court heard that the offence violated provisions of the NDLEA Act, with the prosecution stressing the seriousness of the crime and urging a firm sentence. 
Despite pleas for leniency from the defence, which described the traders as first-time offenders, the judge ruled that the scale of the offence required a custodial sentence. However, the court gave each convict an option of a ₦2 million fine instead of jail time and ordered the forfeiture of the vehicles used in the operation to the Federal Government. 
The case reflects Nigeria’s continued crackdown on drug trafficking, with authorities intensifying efforts to dismantle distribution networks and enforce stricter penalties against offenders.
