The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday convicted three men for unlawfully dealing in a total of 160 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu delivered the verdicts in two separate cases prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
In the first case, a 25-year-old university graduate, Faruk Mumuni, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of N5m for trafficking 149 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa.
He was arrested on August 13, 2025, at Mushin, Lagos State, and faced a two-count charge under Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
When the case was called, the NDLEA prosecution counsel, Buhari Abdullahi, informed the court of the charge and requested that it be read to the convict.
Mumuni pleaded guilty to both counts. Abdulahi then reviewed the case, tendered the exhibits, and urged the court to convict him on the strength of his plea and the evidence provided.
Justice Dipeolu, after reviewing the evidence and submissions, found Mumuni guilty as charged.
His counsel, E.U. Okenyi, pleaded for leniency, stressing that the convict was a first-time offender who admitted guilt at the earliest opportunity and expressed remorse.
“My Lord, the convict did not waste the time of this honourable court.
He is deeply remorseful and pleads for the mercy of the court. We urge Your Lordship to temper justice with mercy and consider a non-custodial sentence with an option of fine,” Okenyi said.
In his judgment, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Mumuni to two years’ imprisonment, effective from the date of his arrest, or a fine of N5m.
In a related matter, the same court sentenced two other men, Abubakar Sadiq, 25, and Isah Ibrahim, 27, after they pleaded guilty to an amended two-count charge for unlawfully dealing in 11 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa.
The prosecutor, Abdulahi, presented the facts of the case and tendered exhibits to support the prosecution.
The court subsequently convicted both men.
Their counsel, Evans Ajoku, in his plea for mercy, asked the court to impose fines instead of custodial sentences.
“My Lord, the defendants are young men who have shown remorse and pleaded guilty without hesitation. They pray for the court’s mercy,” Ajoku pleaded.
Justice Dipeolu sentenced each of them to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 each on the first count.
Sadiq received an additional six-month term or a fine of N600,000 on the second count.
The offences occurred on July 3, 2025, at Alabarago, Lagos State.
According to the prosecutor the offences committed contravened Sections 11(c) and 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
