By Stephen Simon
A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a Canada returnee, Abimbola Daniel, to a total of 11 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully importing and possessing 2.5 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the sentence after Daniel pleaded guilty to a two-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. The case was marked FHC/LAG/CR/609/2026.
The prosecution, led by Arit Okon, told the court that Daniel imported the prohibited substance into Nigeria from Canada aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight. The cannabis was allegedly concealed in cargo covered by waybill number 07161185795.
The prosecution further said Daniel engaged Afriway Cargo and Logistics, located on Anthony Udo Avenue, International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos, to clear the consignment. He was subsequently arrested when he went to collect it.
According to the NDLEA, the offences contravened Sections 11(2) and 20(1) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and are punishable under Section 20(2) of the Act.
Following Daniel’s guilty plea, an NDLEA exhibit keeper, Abdullahi Musa, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered the recovered exhibits, which were admitted in evidence by the court. The prosecution subsequently urged the court to convict and sentence him based on his plea and the evidence presented.
However, defence counsel, Benson Ndakara, leading Dennis Warri, pleaded for leniency. He urged the court to consider Daniel’s early guilty plea and the fact that he had no previous criminal conviction.
The defence also relied on relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 to ask the court to consider a non-custodial sentence.
After considering the submissions, Justice Aluko sentenced Daniel to five years on the first count and six years on the second, totalling 11 years. The judge, however, gave him the option of paying N500,000 on the first count and N600,000 on the second, instead of serving the custodial terms.
The prosecution said the alleged importation occurred on July 14, 2026, at the Customs Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, while the alleged possession occurred the following day at Afriway Cargo and Logistics in Ajao Estate, Lagos.
