Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded 974 convictions of drug offenders in the first quarter of 2026, with 11 major traffickers collectively handed 254 years in prison in what the agency’s chief has described as a watershed moment in the country’s war on narcotics.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, announced the figures on Friday in a statement from Abuja. The convictions were recorded between January and March, with 265 secured in January, 316 in February, and 393 in March. Of the total, 899 of those convicted were male and 75 female.
The most high-profile conviction belongs to Adegbite Solomon, an Italy-based 42-year-old businessman also known as “Obama.” He was found guilty on all 15 counts before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos, and sentenced to a cumulative 130 years in prison. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his pharmacy outlets and funds in multiple bank accounts to the Federal Government.
Another significant conviction saw 32-year-old Ridwan Animashaun sentenced to 25 calendar years for drug trafficking by Justice Nkenoye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court in Ibadan. Animashaun had previously been convicted for a similar offence in 2022, making this a repeat prosecution.
Two other convicts, Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, each received 17-year sentences from the Federal High Court in Abeokuta after being charged with trafficking 1,779 kilograms of cannabis. A further two convicts received 15 years each, while several others across different states were sentenced to seven years apiece for drug trafficking offences.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the results as a clear signal that Nigeria was intensifying its enforcement posture. Marwa said securing 974 convictions in three months was a testament to the agency’s determination, adding that the 11 kingpins who believed themselves untouchable had now received a firm reminder that the law eventually catches up with criminal enterprise. He also praised the judiciary for accelerating hearings in drug-related cases and urged Nigerians to continue providing intelligence to support operations.
