A 70 year-old clearing agent, Ajewole Ayo Joel, have been convicted and sentenced to six years imprisonment for trafficking in serie of prohibited hard drugs weighing over 1,580.40 Kilograms, by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Ajewole was convicted and given the jail-term by Justice Musa Kakaki, who presided over the court, while delivering judgment in a charge filed against him and his alleged co-conspirator, Gupta Ravi Kumar, an Indian national.
The judge however ordered the convicted man to pay a fine option of N10 million in lieu of the jail-term.
The convict and the Indian were first arraigned before the court sometimes in November 2025, on a six count-charge of conspiracy, unlawful dealing and trafficking in several prohibited hard drugs, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The prosecutor, Barrister Abu Ibrahim leading Barrister Arit N. Okon, while arraigning the two men, informed that court that they were arrested with the banned drugs on September 11, 2025 during the examination of cargoes on Ethiopian Airline flight from india to Nigeria, at Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) import Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Prosecutor had informed the court that the convicted freight Agent, the india national procured one Ogunlana Akeem of Akman Global Investment & Logistics (now at large) to import the drugs.
The convict freight and the indian national were also accused of conspiring among themselves and procured one Sumit Rekhit of Flexi World Logistics, Gurugra, India to unlawfully brought the prohibited drugs with the waybill numbers 071-58233792 and 071-59233792, into Nigeria,
Had told the court that the illegal acts of the two men are contrary to sections 14{b); 21 (2)(d) and 11 (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Authority, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The convict and his co-conspirator have denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges upon their arrraignment.
However, at the resumed hearing of the charge on Wednesday February 24, the convicted freight agent, Ajewole Ayo Joel, through his lawyer, Babatunde Adeoye (SAN), signified his intention to change his earlier not guilty plea.
Based on the new development, the court ordered that the charges be reread to him for the purpose of taking his plea afresh.
Hence the charges were read to him and he pleaded guilty to all the counts of the charge.
Upon his ‘new’ plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the charges and as well tendered all the exhibits in the matter.
Following the review of the charge and tendering of exhibits, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him as charged. The judge thereafter convicted the freight agent of all the counts.
However, the convicted freight agent through his lawyer, Adeoye (SAN) pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.
The judge after hearing submissions of the lawyer, convicted him of all the counts of the charge,while adjourned till today (Friday) for sentencing
In sentencing the convicted clearing agent today, Justice Kakaki sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each of the counts. While ordered him to pay fine option of N1 million each on counts one and three, and N2 million each on counts two, four to six.
The judge also ruled that the jail terms shall run concurrently from September 11, 2025, when the convicted t was arrested. But the fine option shall be consecutively, meaning to pay a total sum of N10 million.
The judge has adjourned to October 19, 2026, for continuation of trial of the India national, Gupte Ravi Kumar.
Parts of the charges against the convicted freight agent and his co-conspirator read: “That you Gupte Ravi Kumar and Ajewole Ayo Joel both Male, Adults on or about the 23rd September 2025, conspired with one Sumit Rekhit of Flexi World Logistics, Gurugra, India to import a consignment of 779.10 kilograms of Tapentadol Royal 225mg. rand of Tramadol, a Narcotic Analgesic similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin with waybill No. 071-58233792 and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14{b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Authority, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Gupta Ravi Kumar and Ajewole Ayo Joel both Male, Adult on or about the 11th September 2025 during the examination of cargoes on Ethiopian Airline flight from india to Nigeria, at Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) import Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos procured one Ogunlana Akeem of Akman Global Investment & Logistics (now at large), to import a consignment of 811.30 kilograms of Tapentadol Super Royal 200mg, a brand of Tramadol, a Narcotic Analgesic similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin with Airway Bill No. 071-58233792 and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 21 (2) (d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 7004 and punishable under section 11(b) of the said Act.
“That you Gupta Ravi Kumar and Ajewale Ayo Joel both Male, Adult on or about the September 2025 during the examination of cargoes on Ethiopian Airline flight from India to Nigeria, at Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) import Shed, a Customs Area/Po the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos without lawful authority imported a consignment of 811.30 kilograms of Tapentadol Super Royal 200mg, 2 brand tramadol, a Narcotic Analgesic similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin with Airway Bill No. 39233792 and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”